HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT South

Transcription

HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT
South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan: Anacortes, WA
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON | COLLEGE OF BUILT ENVIRONMENTS & SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
JUNE 2016
Image Courtesy of Alta Planning + Design
ANNA BOVBJERG, SHANNON CONLON, TIANNA FALLGATTER, PATRICK PIRTLE
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank the authors from University of Washington for their
contribution to this health impact assessment:
Lindsay Allen, Anna Bovbjerg, Zi Cai, Karen Chen, Shannon Conlon, Juliet D’Alessandro, Kim L.
Doughty, Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot, Tianna Fallgatter, Katherine Foy Huamani, Jordan Gemelas, Cecilia C.
Goetz, Marianna Grady, Marnie Hazlehurst, Cailin R. Henley, Joshua Hoff, Saori Kitabatake, Staci Kvak,
Christina Leal, Mikiko Nakamura, Danielle Olson, Patrick Pirtle, Grant Quiller, Ellie Smith, Thomas
W. T. Steckel, Christina Sun, Dorothy Thomas, Jane Vaccaro, Nicole Williams, Yalun Ye, Kasemsit
Yimparsit, Xin Zhang
Final Report Compilation Done By:
Anna Bovbjerg, Shannon Conlon, Tianna Fallgatter and Patrick Pirtle
Furthermore, we would like to extend our gratitude to the people and
organizations, that has been a crucial part of the success of this project:
Andrew L. Dannenberg, University of Washington, Primary Course Instructor for EnvH/UrbDP 536:
Health Impact Assessment
Edmund Seto, University of Washington
Chris Saleeba, Alta Planning + Design
Eric Shjarback, City of Anacortes
Suggested citation:
Bovbjerg, A., Conlon, S., Fallgatter, T., Pirtle, P. (2016). Health Impact Assessment Report: South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan, Anacortes, Washington. University of Washington.
Photo and Map Credits:
*Unless otherwise noted, photo sources from the HIA team.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A Health Impact Assessment is a tool to investigate
and describe the potential health impacts of proposed
projects, policies, and programs. The National Academies
Committee on HIA defines them as a “systematic process
that uses an array of data sources and analytic methods
and considers input from stakeholders to determine the
potential effects of a proposed policy, plan, program, or
project on the health of a population and the distribution
of those effects within the population. HIA provides
recommendations on monitoring and managing those
effects” 23. HIAs are generally conducted following six steps
that together identify, explore, and promote positive and
mitigate adverse health impacts 23:
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Screening
Scoping
Assessment
Recommendations
Reporting
Monitoring and Evaluation
For this project, the screening was done prior to the class’
start, by Professor Andrew Dannenberg, MD, MPH. The
report at hand, along with a presentation to stakeholders
constitutes the primary reporting of the findings.
Introduction
This assessment was conducted by 32 students, as part of
a class on Health Impact Assessment (EnvH/UrbDP 536)
offered by the Department of Urban Design and Planning
and the Department of Environmental and Occupational
Health Sciences, at the University of Washington. It was
conducted as a voluntary HIA over the course of 10
weeks, between March 28th and June 3rd 2016. The
students participating in the project represent a broad
variety of specialties and interests within the University
of Washington: environmental and occupational health,
health services, epidemiology, global health, nursing,
civil engineering, urban planning, real estate, social
work, and public affairs, among others. This enables the
multidisciplinary teams to work with a wide perspective
in order to reach the most comprehensive health impact
assessment.
The goal of the project is to evaluate the 2016 South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan, which has been
designed by Alta Planning + Design. It examines how south
Commercial Avenue in the City of Anacortes, Washington,
can be redesigned to improve walkability, bikeability and a
general quality of life, as well as attract more residents and
tourists. The HIA team conducted scoping with help from
Dr. Dannenberg and Dr. Edmund Seto to define the main
health impacts the HIA will address and to create objectives
for the assessment. The team identified important health
determinants and categories and consolidated the ideas
into the following areas of focus that will be further
explored in their own chapters:
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Transportation
Environmental Health
Land Use and Public Places
Public Safety
Economic Health
Community Cohesion and Social Capital
Teams were tasked with evaluating the proposed plan,
visiting the south Commercial Avenue corridor, and
extracting various proposed components of the plan
to highlight for specific health implications. Many of the
key elements proposed within the corridor plan have
been positively linked with improved health outcomes.
Although the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
provides an excellent opportunity for realizing the city
of Anacortes’ Comprehensive Plan 2016 visions, certain
potential negative health impacts were observed and
warrant consideration as the plan moves forward through
its various design phases. This Executive Summary will
highlight each of the six groups’ background literature, and
findings, followed by our key health impact considerations
and recommended action. For expanded detail on specific
topics, evidence-based research and explanations are
presented within each chapter.
Methodology
This HIA was conducted utilizing a variety of sources
including, but not limited to: a comprehensive review of
technical and academic literature, news and popular media,
public reports, previously conducted HIAs, consulting
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reports, GIS-based analysis, ongoing communication
and feedback from Alta Planning + Design, as well as the
Anacortes city engineer. Furthermore, a guided field trip
to Anacortes was completed in the early phase of the HIA.
City of Anacortes
Anacortes, WA is located within Skagit County and is known
for its festivals, farmers’ markets, arts scene, outdoor
recreation opportunities, and a bustling Washington
State Ferries terminal 24. Visitors and residents alike must
pass through the city’s main corridor on their way to final
destinations on one of the many islands served by the
ferry terminal. As it is the primary route to the islands
of Lopez, Shaw, Orcas and San Juan, as well as Victoria,
British Columbia and Vancouver Island, freight and
tourism are important aspects of Anacortes’ history and
culture 24. For this reason, the seasonal waves of travelers
play a role in the future growth, and design visions of the
city. In the early 1950’s, Anacortes saw a shift in land use
from predominantly industrial and maritime to oil, retail
and tourism 25. Population growth has remained steady
since the 1970’s and today the city boasts an estimated
population of 16,403 residents 1.
Key Findings
In summary, throughout the HIA process, evidence
repeatedly showed that improved health outcomes were
both directly and indirectly associated with the use of
complete street concepts on main streets and in town
centers. A complete street is one that has been designed
with all users in mind. More specifically, the National
Complete Streets Coalition defines complete streets
as: “[Streets that are] designed and operated to enable
safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists,
motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Complete Streets make it easy to cross the street, walk
to shops, and bicycle to work. They allow buses to run on
time and make it safe for people to walk to and from train
stations 9”. The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
incorporates many of the features of complete streets.
These include pedestrian friendly walkways, designated
and protected bike lanes, traffic calming measures, and
greenery which have been positively linked to increased
physical activity, improved cardiovascular outcomes,
improved mental and social well-being, and a reduction in
obesity. As a whole, this HIA strongly supports the majority
of the proposed design changes along south Commercial
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Avenue. Concerns were raised however, about the potential
impacts of a street redesign on noise and air pollution,
freight traffic diversion, and the potentially positive and/or
negative economic and long-term health impacts on the
community as a whole. Adverse health outcomes such as
asthma, cancer, and cardiovascular disease are frequently
associated with air pollution, and the impact of noise on
mental health, hearing and community enjoyment are well
documented. Supporting literature for statements made
throughout the key findings and recommendations are
cited throughout the individual chapters.
Key Recommendations
Based on the individual group findings and in discussion
with the class conducting the HIA as a whole, the key
recommendations are as follows:
Take action to lower the overall traffic speed
through the corridor.
Action: This HIA supports the inclusion of traffic calming
design features into the south Commercial Avenue
redesign. The existing design elements proposed within
the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan including:
narrowed lane widths, curb bulbouts, Rectangular Rapid
Flashing Beacons (RRFB), medians, and vertical vegetation,
will likely have a positive impact on speed reductions and
overall pedestrian/bicyclist safety.
Health Impacts: 1) Reduced rate and severity of injury
and mortality from crashes and vehicle-pedestrian/
cyclist collisions. 2) Improved mental and social wellbeing derived from a perceived sense of security along
the corridor. 3) Reduced morbidity and mortality from
diseases associated with insufficient physical activity,
such as: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. 4)
Reduction in traffic noise along south Commercial Avenue
may improve levels along the corridor, and reduce health
impacts of excessive environmental noise, such as: hearing
loss, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular and psychological
effects. The consideration for noise reduction may be
low with the current surrounding street and residential
densities, however, as rezoning and infill occur, and natural
population growth continues, developing noise reducing
strategies early may have long lasting positive impacts.
Ongoing evaluation of stakeholder engagement at
each phase in the design process.
Action: 1) Identify all potentially impacted stakeholders
including: local residents within a 5-mile radius of the
corridor, Chamber of Commerce, businesses along
the south Commercial Avenue affected by redesign,
and vulnerable populations (elderly, disabled persons,
and minorities). Actively seek creative ways to engage
stakeholders in the adaptation and implementation of
the plan. 2) Consider options for obtaining input from
long and short-term visitors as well. 3) Consider culturally
appropriate public art that reflects the existing culture and
histories of Anacortes and the region.
Health Impacts: By identifying the community’s health
priorities and the potential barriers to health behavior,
the city can work with Alta Planning + Design to ensure
that future design revisions continue to incorporate
concepts that will reduce barriers and encourage healthy,
active lifestyles. This engagement aligns the design with
community needs, encourages community buy-in and
long term project sustainability.
Utilize Quick-Build Street to aid in further planning
and visioning
Action: Endorse recommendations for proposed Quick
Build street along south Commercial Avenue. The
utilization of a Quick Build street will help Anacortes align
their vision with the community’s needs. People for Bikes
has created a nine-step toolkit for implementation of
a Quick Build street 17. The proposed Quick Build street
has four main components which include: 1) Led by a city
government or other public agency. 2) Installed roughly
within a year of the start of planning. 3) Planned with the
expectation that it may undergo change after installation.
4) Built using materials that allow such changes 17. If
implemented, we encourage starting from the older north
end of Commercial Avenue and if possible, implementing
along the entire corridor for a more complete overview
of how the corridor will change. If the entire corridor is
not feasible, consider encompassing both a Pedestrian
Activation Zone and regular stretch of roadway to evaluate
potential unintended consequences of specific design
features.
Indirect Health Impacts: Small tactical street changes
are more financially feasible, and require minimal
resource investment from the city of Anacortes. A Quick
Build street, see glossary, that has been “tested” by locals,
tourists, freight and non-vehicle users will have stronger
support within the community. The unique opportunity
to ‘try it before you buy it’ provides designers, users, and
the city with the ability to evaluate key design components
for their effectiveness and intended functional and health
outcomes. Furthermore, should any early design elements,
traffic revisions, or pedestrian and bike friendly design
features prove incompatible with the Anacortes culture,
changes can be made with minimal loss of investment.
Additionally, a pilot-proven corridor may find attracting
grants and construction funding easier. By reducing the
financial risks associated with an intensive main street
redesign, the city preserves funding to allocate to other
public goods, community services, and public health
measures. This indirect health effect is far reaching.
Support and suggest complementary elements to
proposed bike infrastructure
Action: Support the existing proposed bicycle
infrastructure within the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan. Capitalize on the expanded bike friendly
roadway (along the corridor) to promote a link between
the Tommy Thompson Trail to the corridor via 22nd Street.
Additionally, consideration of clearly identified markers
between the local bike store located on south Commercial
Avenue and the trail via the nearest cross street would aid
cyclists in wayfinding and improve connections between
the Tommy Thompson Trail and south Commercial
Avenue. 2) Consider a modular design allowing for the
future installation of an intermittent protective barrier
between bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks, such as
flexi-posts or Riley curbs. Barriers may not be necessary at
current usage levels but may become necessary as usage
increases in the future. See Image ES.1 for an example of
these specific design elements.
Health Impacts: 1) Reduction in the rate and severity of
vehicle-bicycle collisions and fatalities, by way of protected
bike lanes, well designed mixing zones, and appropriate
cues for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. 2) Reduction
in the rate and severity of injury from bike-pedestrian
collision by way of clearly demarcated lanes for pedestrian
and bicycle pathways. 3) Installation of flexi-posts between
pedestrians and bicyclists could reduce the risk of bike7
pedestrian collision, and improve pedestrian perceived
sense of physical safety. This can prevent injuries and
lead to a lower stress environment, increased utilization
of the corridor for physical activity, and a reduction in
diseases associated with poor exercise including diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and obesity. 4) A reduction in
cyclist exposure to roadway and air pollutants via a
designated bike lane with protected buffers may reduce
morbidity and mortality associated with excessive air
pollution such as: asthma, cardiovascular disease, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, breast cancer, stroke, and
lung cancer.
Image ES.1 Example of Flexi-posts and Riley curbs
within the community. Improved utilization of local tourist
attractions, retailers, and accommodations provides
revenue for the city and its business owners. Increased
revenue is indirectly related to equitable access to health
and public services for Anacortes residents most in need.
Sustainability through secure revenue streams provides
equitable access to services for the most vulnerable
residents. This improves health outcomes including
mental, cognitive, and physical well-being. 4) Individual
income is positively associated with reductions in personal
stress, mental health, cardiovascular health, diabetes,
and access to healthcare resources; wayfinding to local
establishments provides local business owners greater
income earning potential.
Proposed land
connectivity
Source: http://cyclingchristchurch.co.nz/2014/01/26/where-would-you-like-someseparator-posts/
Develop effective destination wayfinding
Action: The use of signage for both pedestrians and
motorist will help improve wayfinding and promote specific
cultural, recreational, and retail destinations. Additionally,
appropriately located wayfinding signage within the
proposed hospital overlay may reduce traffic confusion
associated with the hospital and unnecessary traffic
volumes along south Commercial Avenue, by directing
hospital users to the appropriate entrances off of 24th
and 26th Streets. Wayfinding, when designed correctly,
has the potential to improve traffic flow, thereby reducing
excessive vehicle emissions, confusion from tourists, and
congestion during heavy seasonal traffic.
Health Impacts: 1) This traffic reduction, which is
associated with improved air quality, could reduce
morbidity and mortality associated with air pollution
including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease. 2) Increased ease of destination finding provides
for greater chance of tourist and local spending to remain
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use
planning
and
corridor
Action: Support the south Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan for its design elements that reinforce the city’s vision
of connectivity, accessibility, all-users roadways, and mixed
use (outlined in the Anacortes 2016 Comprehensive
Plan). Highlight the importance of greenspace to overall
community connectivity, by way of parklets. Consider the
creation of a mobile parklet as a key greenspace feature
of the plan. In addition to providing various businesses
along the corridor access to the benefits of a green space,
a mobile parklet could aid the city in envisioning what a
corridor connected by parklets, and other green spaces
would look like. Recommend a minimum setback of no
more than 5 feet with restrictions on approved business
frontage use.
Health Impacts: Access to green spaces are associated
with reductions in depression, increased walking and
physical activity, and provides a community gathering
space; which can improve social cohesion, and reduce
morbidity and mortality from diseases associated with
poor exercise and social isolation.
Proposed hospital overlay district and corridor
interactions
Action: Support the plan’s consideration of emergency
response vehicles (ERVs) in roadway design. Evaluate how
medians when combined with a lack of on-street parking
in the Pedestrian Activation Zones may impact the ability
of non-emergency road users to yield. Two of the three
proposed Pedestrian Activation Zones incorporate green
medians; recommend against medians within the section
of south Commercial Avenue that interacts with the
proposed hospital overlay. Recommend further design
phases evaluate light source intensity, and lamp post
frequency along the section of the corridor associated
with the overlay. For example, hospitals produce around
the clock pedestrian and vehicle travel, which may have
lighting needs that differ elsewhere along the corridor.
Consider the impact of the Pedestrian Activation Zones on
off-street parking utilization; recommendation for further
traffic studies on driving behaviors of the region. Consider
the addition of a HAWK beacon running perpendicular
at the intersection of 25th Street and south Commercial
Avenue, to discourage unsafe pedestrian crossings at a
‘convenience point’ in the overlay 14. Consider incorporation
of a public transit stop on both sides of south Commercial
Avenue at 25th Street, to reduce the impacts.
Health Impacts: 1) The ability of non-emergency vehicles
to yield is associated with reduced ERV-vehicle collisions,
and is also associated with improved emergency response
timing and delivery of critical patients. 2) Improved visibility
of the roadway and pedestrian-bike infrastructure will
benefit all (e.g. elderly, disabled, injured or sick hospital
visitors, emergency response vehicles, employees)
roadway users within the proposed overlay. Age related
vision changes, hearing changes, as well as pain and
other illness-induced symptoms have been associated
with collisions and dramatic increases in the severity
and fatality of pedestrian-vehicle incidents. Seniors and
children are at greatest risk for severe injury and death
caused by a collision. 3) HAWK beacons are associated
with reductions in mid-block fatalities and provide safer
crossings on super blocks in heavy pedestrian areas such
as a hospital zone 8.
Consider the implications of freight on the
community
Action: Recommend further investigation of the major
thoroughfare and alternate freight routes. In this
investigation, clearly define the corridors where freight is
moving and evaluate the impact a complete street design
may have on this main truck route. Consider the potential
long term consequences to future land use and urban
growth along Q and R Avenue, and whether there are
economic and health implications associated with freight
traffic diversion for residents and businesses located
along the proposed alternative routes.
Health Impacts: Largely unknown, but could include loss
of revenue to businesses along south Commercial Avenue
(either via reduced traffic or via increases in delivery costs/
times). Increase in morbidity and mortality for diseases
such as cancer, asthma, cardiovascular disease, lowbirth weight and lead poisoning for residents along the
proposed alternative routes. Impacts to local flora, fauna,
marine and wildlife are also largely unknown, but without
proper drainage and environmental protection features, it
could be significant.
Public Transit, Buses, and Shuttles
Action: Recommend further evaluation of public transit
conditions and availability along south Commercial
Avenue, especially Skagit Transit bus routes 409 and
410. As the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
progresses, consider explicitly stating locations and
identifying structural design elements like bus stops
and signage that will be incorporated into the street
infrastructure. Consider the need for transit scale-up in
the future as corridor density and overall city population
increases. Explore options for collaboration between the
city of Anacortes and the Washington State Department of
Transportation to evaluate shuttle usage and unnecessary
long-term parking on south Commercial Avenue from
ferry users.
Health Impacts: 1) Early planning and adoption of transitready street design has the potential to improve longterm roadway efficiency and improve access to services
and retail outlets along south Commercial Avenue. 2)
Over time, as the city population continues to grow,
strengthening local public transit may stabilize the growth
rates of single-occupancy vehicles traveling through the
main corridor. A reduction in single-occupancy vehicles
is associated with reductions in air pollution from vehicle
emissions and overall reductions in morbidity and
mortality associated with environmental (air, noise, water)
pollutants. 3) When considering bus stop locations along
south Commercial Avenue, having an understanding of
the unique needs of individuals of all ages and abilities
is important. For example, inappropriately spaced bus
stops could potentially deter seniors from utilizing the
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bus for transportation thereby reducing the effectiveness
of the intended design, and its positive impact on health
outcomes.
American Disabilities Act Compliance
Action: The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
includes design elements that accommodate accessibility
for all users, such as widened sidewalks, reduced driveway
angles, and pedestrian curb cuts installed into sidewalks
using 90 degree angles. Recommend future design phases
consider wheelchair accessibility that extends beyond
widened sidewalks, and includes charging stations along
the corridor for individuals confined to custom, electric
wheelchairs. Similar to Anacortes in size and resident ages,
Pendleton, Oregon (population size 16,612 roughly, 40% >
age 45), has begun installing electric wheelchair charging
stations in some of the city’s greenspaces (Sierra, 2016).
This can be done as a free standing station as shown
in the Image ES.2 and Image ES.3, or could potentially
be incorporated into electric vehicle charging stations.
Recommend shifting the vehicle stop-line farther away
from designated crosswalks and providing pedestrians a
head start by using smart crosswalk signaling. Consider
sidewalk widths that accommodate passing wheelchairs
and/or electric wheelchairs. Incorporate access to
drinking fountains along south Commercial Avenue, to
complement active transportation, and all-age friendliness
of the corridor.
Image ES.2 East Oregon Electric
Charging Station for Wheelchair users
Health Impact: Federal law requires that all persons,
regardless of abilities, be provided equitable access to
public spaces. Evaluating the current ADA standards and
incorporating them into existing and future design phases
will allow the city of Anacortes an opportunity to improve
ADA compliance along the corridor. This provides safer
and greater access to all street users including those
with disabilities. This access may lead to more usage by
individuals with impaired mobility or vision, which may
improve an individual sense of connection, improved
mental and psychological well-being, and modified forms
of physical activity.
Other recommendations, outside of the plan’s
scope
In addition to the key recommendations outlined
above, several external factors were identified that will
influence the degree to which the plan will improve health
outcomes. Specific proposed changes to land use, zoning,
storm water management, and long-term visions outlined
in the Anacortes 2016 Comprehensive Plan may prove
to have a positive or negative synergism when combined
with various design elements proposed by Alta Planning +
Design. Some of the key external considerations for the City
of Anacortes, Island Hospital, and the Washington State
Department of Transportation include recommendations
for:
1. A required setback of no more than 5-feet with a
pedestrian-oriented frontage zone along south
Commercial Avenue. If the city chooses to allow
for larger setbacks, consider creating governing
ordinances that prohibit the use of setback areas for
parking or other non-pedestrian friendly activities.
2. In general, growth, infill, and densification of a town
Source: EastOregonian.com
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center is associated with positive economic and
community health outcomes. This is especially true
for the individuals who move into newly urbanized
areas. This progress however, is often associated
with gentrification of entire neighborhoods and
communities. As the city of Anacortes expands,
consideration for the impacts that mixed-use, new
development, and overall neighborhood desirability
may have on vulnerable populations (e.g. minorities,
seniors, persons living below the Federal Poverty
Line) is warranted. If the risk of gentrification is
high, consider establishing governance policies that
encourage mixed-use developers to offer on-site
affordable housing with each new development.
This will maintain community diversity and limit the
negative health impacts of displacement and financial
stress.
3. Long-term sustainability and buy-in will be required for
may strengthen the hospital’s support of the corridor
design plan.
7. Ensure the city of Anacortes’ emergency evacuation
plan is updated to reflect any changes to the south
Commercial Avenue corridor.
the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan to reach
fruition. Stakeholder buy-in not only throughout the
design phases, but also once the corridor has been
completed is essential to the successes and potential
for positive health outcomes. A great road does not
make the town, it is instead a key feature inviting
locals and visitors to stop and stay awhile. To extract
the greatest value from the completed corridor, the
city should develop a communications and marketing
campaign to attract tourism and corridor users. If
this is already a strategy incorporated by the City,
the recommendation is to evaluate the process and
strategy to ensure that it aligns well with the visions
for the corridor.
4. Consider working with local vacant land owners,
excessive surface parking lots, and the hospital to
coordinate potential privately owned spaces that
could be further activated and vegetated to provide
green space, connectivity and positive health
benefits. For example, consider adding a greenway
connecting the hospital to the main corridor, by way
of 25th Street. Reductions in unnecessary parking
or temporary conversions of unused land into semipermanent green spaces can provide the city with
additional destinations along the corridor that provide
opportunities for physical activity and social mixing.
5. Consider adding public restroom facilities along south
Commercial Avenue.
6. Consider the long-term impacts of allowing the hospital
overlay to expand to the street frontage on south
Commercial Avenue. If local businesses are impacted
by hospital expansion the city may want to consider
negotiating for an alternate overlay, and establishing
developer agreements or incentives such as upzoning
that make special exceptions and considerations for
existing businesses in the proposed overlay. Sharing
resources about the health benefits of connectivity,
accessibility, and green spaces on patient outcomes
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
3
Chapter 4| Public Safety
72
Executive Summary
5
Disaster Risk Reduction
75
Table of Contents
13
Pedestrian & Bike Safety
77
List of Images, Tables, Maps, & Figures
14
Traffic Speed
79
Acronyms
15
Crime & Violence
80
Glossary of Terms
16
Recommendations
81
Introduction
19
Chapter 1| Transportation
26
Retail Sales & Jobs
84
Motor Vehicle Traffic
28
Workplaces Health & Economic Gain
85
Freight & Commercial Traffic
31
Resident Savings
87
Accessibility & Mobility
35
Parking
88
Public Transit
38
Property Value
89
Pedestrian & Bike Infrastructure
40
Recommendations
91
Recommendations
42
Chapter 2| Environmental Health
43
Environmental Noise
44
Air Quality
46
Water Quality
48
Green Space
50
Recommendations
52
Chapter 3| Land Use & Public Spaces
54
Corridor Streetscape
56
Hospital Overlay
59
Land Use
64
Recommendations
69
Chapter 5| Economic Health
Chapter 6| Community Cohesion &
Social Capital
82
92
Preserve Native Culture
94
Pedestrian Mental Health
95
Universal Access
97
Affordable Housing
99
Recommendations
100
Conclusion
102
Key Recommendations
104
Reporting, Monitoring, & Evaluation
110
References
112
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LIST OF IMAGES, TABLES, MAPS AND FIGURES
Image ES.1 Example of Flexi-posts and Riley curbs
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Image ES.2 East Oregon Electric Charging Station for Wheelchair users
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Image I.3 Anacortes Welcome Sign
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Image T.4 Complete Street
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Image T.5 Bus stop along bus route 409
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Image T.6 Existing Condition
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Image T.7 Alta Corridor Plan Proposal Rendering
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Image EV.8 Example of a Bio-Retention Facility
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Image PS.9 Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
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Image PS.10 Magnitude of Injuries if related to speed
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Image PS.11 Pedestrian lighting can improve public safety
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Image EC.12 Some retailers are designed for drive-thru and do not have seats to accommodate consumers.
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Image EC.13 There are a few bike racks along the corridor
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Image EC.14 Increased traffic lights and signage could improve pedestrian safety
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Image CC.15 Swinomish and Samish Tribal Logo
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Image CC.16 Existing architectural interest and playful wayfinding.
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Image CC.17 Light Pole Obstructing Sidewalk for Wheelchair-Bound Community Members
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Image CC.18 South Commercial Avenue Street Corner without Curb Cut for Disabled Community Members
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Image CC.19 Driveway that is not ADA Compliant and Dangerous to Wheelchair-Bound Community Members
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Image C.20 Example of Flexi-posts and Riley curbs
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Image C.21 Free standing electric wheelchair charging station in the metro station, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Table I.1 Basic demographics of Anacortes, WA compared to the State
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Table I.2 Mortality, Skagit County
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Table I.3 Morbidity, Skagit County
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Table I.4 2011 Physical Activity Levels
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Table T.5 Speeds, Distance, Injury Severity
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Table T.6 Freight Classifications
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Table T.7: US EPA Truck Emission for Selected Pollutants
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Table EV.8 Air Quality Index in Anacortes, WA
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Table L.9 Commercial Zoning (C) Description
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Table L.10 2016 Anacortes Comprehensive Plan Land Use Goals and Policies That Are Addressed through
Proposed Plan for South Commercial Avenue
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Map T.1 Traffic speeds on selected roads in Anacortes
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Map T.2 Anacortes Freight Routes
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Map T.3 # of Curb Cuts Along Commercial Ave.
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Map T.4 Public Retail Property Proposal Map: This was produced as an exercise during a planning meeting in
Anacortes. It shows were attendees would like to see new retail
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Map T.5 Schools within 1/4 mile of Commercial Ave
36
Map T.6 One Day Pedestrian and Bike Count 2014 & 2015 Map
37
Map T.6 Bus Routes 410 and 409
38
Map T.7 Airporter Shuttle Map. Source: Airporter Shuttle
39
Map EV.8 Hypothetical Noise Impacted Regions--Consider Extra Ordinances in areas near public places
44
Map L.9 Bike-Pedestrian Corridors of Anacortes, WA
56
Map L.10 Current Island Hospital Campus Map
59
Map L.11 Comparison of the hospital vs community preferred overlay
60
Figure I.1 Overview of steps to conducting an HIA
25
Figure T.2 Transport Health Logic Model
26
Figure T. 3 Potential Conflict Diagrams | Pedestrian Activation Zone (top) Other Areas (bottom)
33
Figure T.4 One Day Pedestrian and Bike Count 2014 & 2015 chart
37
Figure EV.5 Environmental noise sources have potentially negative community health impacts.
44
Figure EV.6 Sound Levels
45
Figure EV.7 Air Pollution Production
47
Figure EV.8 Water Quality Assessment & Water Contaminants
48
Figure EV.9 Proposed Green Infrastructure
51
Figure L.10 Land use and public spaces health logic model
54
Figure L.11 Rendering of Island Hospital’s envisioned expansion design
63
Figure PS.12 Impacts of public safety on health--logic model
72
Figure PS.13 Causal Pathway: Disaster Risk Reduction
76
Figure EC.14 Causal Pathway leading from economic changes to health outcomes
82
Figure EC.15 Retail Sales Health Logic
85
Figure EC.16 Workplace Health Logic
86
Figure EC.17 Conceptual framework for cost-benefit analysis of bike infrastructure investment
87
Figure EC.18 Anacortes Parking Data
88
Figure EC.19 Skagit County Real Estate Absorption Rates for Single Family Homes
89
Figure CC.20 Health impacts of community cohesion and social capital, logic model
92
ACRONYMS
ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act
CDC
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
CPTED
Crime Prevention through Environmental
Design
CSO
Combined Sewer Overflows
ERV
Emergency Response Vehicles
HAWK
High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk beacon
HIA
Health Impact Assessment
LOS
Level-Of-Service
NHTSA
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
PM
Particulate Matter
RRFB
Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
TDM
Transportation Demand Management
WHO
World Health Organization
WSDOT
Washington State Department of
Transportation
VMT
Vehicle-Miles-Traveled
15
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Active Transportation
A term used for recreational or commuter transportation
that involves physical activity. Most common types
are biking and walking, but can also be rollerblading,
skateboarding, running, among others. There is solid
research supporting the health benefits of active
transportation 1.
Green Space
A more or less define space in the public environment
of grass, trees or other vegetation, that is meant
for recreational, health or aesthetic purposes in an
otherwise urban environment. Includes for example,
parks, parklets, community gardens, schoolyards, and
vacant lots 7.
Absorption Rates
This is the rate at which “available homes are sold
in a specific real estate market given a time period. It is
calculated by dividing the total number of available homes
by the average number of sales per month 2”.
HAWK Beacon
A high-intensity activated crosswalk beacon; commonly
used as a traffic control device to stop vehicular traffic
with a pedestrian activated, signalized light to allow
for the safe passage of pedestrians and cyclists. These
are also known as Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons and are
frequently installed in long blocks 8.
Complete Street
An urban design approach to street design that
accommodates all users--pedestrians, transit riders,
bicyclists, and motorists--within a single street, with no
preferential treatment given to any particular mode of
travel 3.
Curb Cut
A smooth ramp which connects street to private or
public property, which are typically at different grades in
those areas that use curbs. Also denoted as driveways
in this report 4.
Dilemma Zone Behavior (Type I)
The area in which it may be difficult for a driver
to decide whether to stop or proceed through the
intersection at the onset of the yellow signal indication.
It is also referred to as the “option zone” or the “zone
of indecision.” Institute of Transportation Engineers
provide an equation for how to time intersections
correctly, so that type I dilemma zones are minimized 5.
Read more: http://www.ite.org/.
Freight Economic Corridors
Defined by WSDOT, the Freight Economic Corridors
are waterways, truckways and railways that are critical
to the economic health of Washington State. They are
defined by the volume of goods they carry, with a T1
carrying the most and a T3 carrying the least amount of
freight 6.
16
In-Recovery
Describes persons who are convalescing in hospitals,
mental rehabilitation facilities, physical rehabilitation
facilities, and long and short-term care facilities with a
condition, illness, or injury that requires time for healing
(long or semi-short in duration).
Parklets
A parklet is form of sidewalk extension that provides
space and amenities for people staying in the street
and for recreational purposes. The name stems from a
combination of it being a recreational area, like a park,
that is parking space sized. Most often seen in densely
populated areas and in relation to cafes and restaurants
9
. Read More: http://nacto.org/publication/urban-streetdesign-guide/interim-design-strategies/parklets/.
Pedestrian Activation Zone
According to the South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan, “these zones include elements that further increase
the pedestrian comfort level. Controlled crossings, raised
crosswalks, street furniture, and other amenities make the
area more conducive to pedestrian activity and prioritize
this mode of travel.”
Placemaking
The process of designing and managing public spaces
in a way that leverages local community identity and
assets, resulting in places that promote health, wellbeing, and sense of community 10. Read More: http://
www.pps.org/reference/what_is_placemaking/.
Quick Build Street
Quick Build streets have no one specific set of
components and vary widely based on the community
needs. However, all quick-build streets have four main
components which include: 1) Led by a city government
or other public agency. 2) Installed roughly within a year
of the start of planning. 3) Planned with the expectation
that it may undergo change after installation. 4) Built
using materials that allow such changes (People for
Bikes, 2016). Often created to give a demonstration or
to evaluate the impacts of proposed street redesign
prior to significant investment of resources 11.
Smart Crosswalk Signaling
A traffic system designed for pedestrian crossings that
includes the use of In-Roadway Warning Lights (IRWL).
These lighting systems are commonly seen in hospital
and school zones 12.
Walkability/Bikeability
A qualitative measure of how pleasant and safe a road
is to traverse walking or biking, and includes crosswalks,
driver behavior, litter and the quality of the pavement
15
. A walkability and bikeability assessment can easily
be conducted by interested citizens or by a city, using
publicly available checklists: http://www.pedbikeinfo.
org/cms/downloads/walkability_checklist.pdf
Wayfinding
Systems of signage or other demarcations that assist
pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists to find their
destination 16.
10% Plan
A plan that outlines the framework for a project, which
is not fully detailed and containing all specifications, but
allows for further decisions to be made within the plan’s
overall frame.
*Note
South Commercial Avenue is used interchangeably
with south Commercial Avenue. This is because the
proposed plan is named the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan.
Street and Sidewalk Activation
The process of bringing more attractions and activities to
under-utilized areas to increase pedestrian presence 13.
Walk Score/Transit Score/Bike Score
Walk Score measures the routes to different amenities
for a given address, and scores this address on a scale
from 0-100 based on approximation and quantity.
Transit Score assigns a “usefulness” value to transit
routes near an address, based on the type of route,
frequency and areas served. Bike Score measures bike
infrastructure, hills, road connectivity and number
of users 14. Read more: https://www.walkscore.com/
methodology.shtml.
17
18
INTRODUCTION
Anacortes is a city in Skagit County in Washington State
located approximately halfway between Seattle, WA and
Vancouver, BC. The city is known for its festivals, farmers’
market, arts scene, and outdoor recreation opportunities,
and as the home port for the Washington State Ferries
serving the San Juan Islands, Victoria, British Columbia, and
Vancouver Island 18. Major employers in Anacortes include
the oil refining, healthcare, and tourism industries 19. The
ferries carried almost 2 million passengers in 2015, most of
them during peak periods of summer and around holidays
21
. In addition to the nearby islands, tourists are drawn to
the city parks, campgrounds, and cycling and hiking trails.
The city experienced a decrease in population during the
1970s, but population has increased consistently since
then 20.
In 2015, the Washington State Department of Transportation
(WSDOT) issued a grant to the City to develop a plan for
south Commercial Avenue between 11th and 34th Streets
that improves roadway facilities for non-motorized uses
along the Avenue 22. With this grant the City commissioned
a multimodal plan from Alta Planning + Design to make
south Commercial Avenue for pedestrians and cyclists
and to support economic development in Anacortes.
Alta Planning + Design held public open houses to solicit
community input on the design and reviewed city planning
documents including the 2012 Comprehensive Plan to
assess the needs of future Anacortes residents 23. They
developed three options for the Corridor and presented
them to the City Council for review 22. The City Council then
selected the Parkway Alternative as their preferred option,
and Alta Planning + Design developed a ten percent plan
based on this alternative 22.
Research shows that focusing on health when designing
built environments can reduce the rates of chronic disease,
injuries, death and disability in a community and this
plan addresses health in Anacortes in numerous explicit
and implicit ways 24. This plan has the potential to reduce
morbidity and mortality by increasing physical activity, to
improve community cohesion and mental health, and to
reduce the rate and severity of traffic injuries. However,
some aspects of the plan have the potential for negative
health impacts as a result of increased vehicle noise,
displacement of freight traffic to residential streets, and
increased vehicle emissions due to reduced speeds. This
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) closely examines the plan’s
potential effects on the health of Anacortes residents and
provides recommendations to support the positive and
mitigate the negative health impacts of the plan.
19
ANACORTES, WA
Anacortes is a city in Skagit County in Washington State.
They are known for their Washington State Ferries dock,
that serves the islands of Lopez, Shaw, Orcas and San
Juan, as well as Victoria, British Columbia and Vancouver
Island. For this reason, Anacortes has a large influx of
tourists traveling to and from the ferry, especially during
peak periods of summer and around holidays. After
experiencing a decrease in population during the 1970s,
Anacortes has had a steady increase ever since.
Demographics
The total population estimate of Anacortes city as of July
1st 2015, is 16,403 people. The Table I.1 reflects data from
the most recent census, the 2010 Demographic Profile
Data 20. For reference, data for the entire Washington
State is shown in table I.1.
Anacortes is generally similar to Washington State, but
it differs in some important aspects. Median household
income is slightly higher than the statewide median, and
Anacortes has a significantly higher percentage of citizens
identifying as white. The Anacortes population is also
older than the statewide population. The city has almost
double the percentage of residents over 65 years of age,
and significantly lower percentages of 25 to 44 year olds.
The higher proportion of senior citizens is an important
consideration in designing streets, as accessibility is
important for this group’s well-being 25.
Table I.1 Basic demographics of Anacortes, WA compared to
the State
Age
#
%
% of
Washington
0-14
2,548
16.2
19.4
15-24
1,529
9.7
13.8
25-44
3,378
21.4
27.3
45-64
4,715
29.9
27.1
65+
3,608
22.9
12.3
Race & Ethnicity
#
%
% of
Washington
White
14,433
91.5
77.3
104
0.7
3.6
154
1.0
1.5
305
1.9
7.2
17
0.1
0.6
794
5.0
11.2
251
1.6
5.2
514
3.3
4.7
Black or African
American
American Indian
and Alaska Native
Asian
16,403 RESIDENTS
Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific
Islander
*Hispanic or
52%
91%
> 45 YEARS OLD
WHITE
Latino
Other
Two or More
Races
*Hispanics may be of any race, so are also included in applicable race categories.
20
INTRODUCTION | ANACORTES, WA
Major Health Issues
Health data specific to Anacortes were not available at the time of the assessment, so health issues in the city were
assessed by examining health data for Skagit County. As shown in table I.2 below, compared to the overall Washington
State population residents of Skagit County have lower rates of mortality from coronary heart disease, cancer, stroke,
chronic lower respiratory disease, unintentional injury, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Table I.2 Mortality, Skagit County 2,3
Health Measure
Overall health status (adults
Skagit County
Compared to Peer
Counties
Compared to Washington State
15.4%
Moderate
16%
Coronary Heart Disease Deaths
93.2 per 100,000
Better
100.0 per 100,000
Chronic Kidney Disease Deaths
6.2 per 100,000
Better
Missing data
Cancer Deaths
185.1 per 100,000
Moderate
259.0 per 100,000
Stroke
41.6 per 100,000
Moderate
56.0 per 100,000
41.0 per 100,000
Moderate
65.0 per 100,000
Unintentional injury
49.9 per 100,00
Moderate
57.0 per 100,000
Diabetes Deaths
25.8 per 100,000
Worse
34.0 per 100,000
Alzheimer’s Disease Deaths
53.3 per 100,000
Worse
67.0 per 100,000
reporting fair or poor health)
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease
Deaths
*Peer Counties are US counties of comparable population size, density, age distribution, household income, and unemployment, among other factors.
The CDC creates 89 Peer County groupings using a k-means cluster analysis of 19 county-level variables for all 3,143 U.S. Counties.
21
Table I.3 Morbidity, Skagit County 2
Health Measure
Skagit County
Compared to Peer Counties
15.4%
Moderate
Older Adult Asthma
2.9%
Better
Older Adult Depression
12.5%
Moderate
Diabetes
6.6%
Moderate
Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
8.6%
Moderate
Cancer
508.7 per 100,000
Worse
Obesity
29.8%
Worse
Overall health status (adults reporting fair or poor
health)
*Peer Counties are US counties of comparable population size, density, age distribution, household income, and unemployment, among other factors. The CDC creates 89
Peer County groupings using a k-means cluster analysis of 19 county-level variables for all 3,143 U.S. Counties.
Table I.4 2011 Physical Activity Levels 2,4
22
Skagit County
Washington State
United States
Indicator
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
No Physical Activity
18%
17.8%
19.0%
18.0%
25.9%
22.4%
Less than the recommended
amount of physical activity
37.9%
40.0%
40.0%
38.8%
47.4%
43.7%
However, when compared to similar US counties, Skagit County’s mortality rates were lower than those of Peer Counties
for only two causes of death: heart disease and kidney disease. Skagit County’s mortality rates were similar to or higher
than Peer Counties for all other causes of death 26. Similar rankings are seen for morbidity, as shown in table I.3 below.
These injuries and diseases represent a significant health burden in Skagit County, and the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan provides an opportunity to reduce that burden.
As shown in table I.4 while Skagit County has more physical activity than Washington State and the country as a whole on
physical activity indicators, almost one in five residents engage in no physical activity, and more than one in three engage
in less than the recommended amount of physical activity 26. There is an upward trend in physical activity among women,
but levels of physical activity among men decreased steadily between 2001 and 2011 26. Insufficient physical activity is a
risk factor for many of the diseases affecting Anacortes residents, so increasing active transportation and recreational
physical activity along south Commercial Avenue can be expected to have a positive impact on residents’ health 25.
Image I.3 Anacortes Welcome Sign
Image Courtesy of http://washington-waterfront-homes.
com/files/2011/09/0531.jpg
23
METHODOLOGY
HIA Process
A Health Impact Assessment is a tool to investigate and
describe the potential impact of a project or program on
public health. The National Academies Committee on HIA
defines an HIA as “a systematic process that uses an array
of data sources and analytic methods and considers input
from stakeholders to determine the potential effects of a
proposed policy, plan, program, or project on the health
of a population and the distribution of those effects
within the population. HIA provides recommendations on
monitoring and managing those effects” 17.
This assessment was conducted by 32 students as part
of a graduate-level class on Health Impact Assessment
(EnvH/UrbDP 536) at the Department of Urban Design
and Planning and Department of Environmental and
Occupational Health Sciences at the University of
Washington. It was conducted as a voluntary HIA over
the course of 10 weeks, between March 28th and June
3rd 2016. The students participating in the project
represent a broad variety of specialties and interests
within the University of Washington: environmental and
occupational health, health services, epidemiology, global
health, nursing, civil engineering, urban planning, real
estate, social work, and public affairs, among others. This
enables the multidisciplinary teams to work with a wide
perspective in order to reach the optimal outcome.
HIAs are generally conducted following six steps, which
together identify, explore and suggest mitigation for
health impacts and their consequences.
Screening
Screening is conducted to identify a project where an
HIA is feasible and has the potential to influence the final
outcome and where the project being assessed is likely to
have identifiable positive and negative health impacts 17.
A candidate for an HIA must be far enough along in the
planning process that there is something substantial to
assess, but not too far along that it is too late to make
24
changes as a result of the HIA. For this project, screening
was conducted prior to the start of the class by Dr.
Dannenberg in collaboration with Chris Saleeba from Alta
Planning + Design. The South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan is sufficiently detailed to allow for a thorough analysis
of potential health impacts, and there will be opportunities
to make health-related adjustments to the plan before it
is finalized. This makes it an ideal candidate for a Health
Impact Assessment.
Scoping
Scoping is done to define the main health impacts the HIA
will address and creates objectives for the assessments
17
. The HIA team conducted scoping with help from Dr.
Dannenberg and Dr. Edmund Seto. The team identified
important health determinants and categories and
consolidated the ideas into the following areas of focus
that will be further explored in their own chapters:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Transportation
Environmental Health
Land Use and Public Places
Public Safety
Economic Health
Community Cohesion and Social Capital
Assessment
The assessment is the most intensive step in the HIA. The
assessment describes the existing health conditions in
a community, and predicts how those health conditions
would change under the proposed project 17. To
accommodate the ten-week timeframe and the resources
available for this HIA, only readily available existing data
were used.
While it was not possible to conduct primary data
collection or solicit significant community input into the
HIA, the team did conduct a field visit to Anacortes to
observe the existing conditions along south Commercial
Avenue. The team also discussed the Plan and the HIA
with Chris Saleeba from Alta Planning + Design and Eric
INTRODUCTION | METHODOLOGY
Figure I.1 Overview of steps to conducting an HIA
Image source: Pew Charitable Trusts
Shjarback, City Engineer for the City of Anacortes, on
multiple occasions and incorporated their feedback into
the final assessment.
Recommendations
Following the analysis and assessment, a series of
recommendations are developed to support positive
health impacts and mitigate negative ones 17. For this HIA,
recommendations were identified for each focus area
and prioritized based on the anticipated health impact.
All recommendations can be found in the focus area
chapters, and the top recommendations can be found in
the executive summary and conclusion.
Reporting
The analysis and results are communicated to decision
makers and the community through reporting 17. This
HIA has been distributed electronically, and key findings
were presented to Chris Saleeba from Alta Planning +
Design and Eric Shjarback, the City Engineer for the City of
Anacortes on June 2, 2016.
Monitoring & Evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation are often included for
documentation and transparency reasons, and to provide
insight in the practice of conducting HIAs in the future 17.
Evaluation also allows the community and decision makers
to assess the actual health impacts of a project following
its completion. Due to the nature of the university course,
the HIA team will not be able to conduct monitoring and
evaluation. However, a monitoring and evaluation plan is
proposed in the conclusion of this report
25
26
Pedestrians
Motor Vehicles
Walking
Bicycle
Public Transit
Freight
Commuter
Railroad
Marine
Air
Truck
Reduce Traffic
Lane Widths
Vegetative
Buffer
Dedicated Bike
Lanes
Widen Sidewalks
Gasoline
Speed
Diesel
Transport Health Logic Model
Promotes Pedestrian
Safety
Promotes Physical
Activity
Collisions
Air Pollution
Noise
Death
Physical Injury
Lung Cancer
Breast Cancer
Type II Diabetes
Heart Disease
Reduced Lung Growth
Asthma
Sleep Disturbances
Cardiovascular disease
Hearing Loss
Stress
Figure T.2 Transit Health Logic Model
Source: EnvH/UrbDP 536 Transportation Group
HELPS REDUCE HEALTH IMPACTS
TRANSPORT
The following section addresses how the South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan may impact health
outcomes related to transportation. The section focuses
on five areas: motor vehicle traffic; freight and commercial
traffic; pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure; public transit,
and; accessibility and mobility. The section utilizes data
from several sources, including the City of Anacortes, the
State of Washington, and academic literature. It has been
thoroughly documented in research and practice that a
public space must induce a sense of security and safety for
people to use it and enjoy it; thus, pedestrians and drivers
must be provided with well-designed roads that consider
and accommodate all modes safely and efficiently 27.
Freight is an important part of the economy and culture
in Anacortes, and is something that must be considered
when redesigning Commercial Avenue. Anacortes plays an
important role in Washington State’s fuel supply chain, as
it’s home to one of the refineries that provide a total of
20% of the West Coast District’s fuel capacity 6. The Port of
Anacortes is also important for the Washington economy
in terms of maritime freight, with goods movement valued
at $3.2 billion 6. The State Route-20 (SR-20) is categorized
as a T3 Truck Freight Economic Corridor and is therefore
part of critical infrastructure for Washington State 6. For
CHAPTER SECTIONS
• Motor Vehicles
• Freight
• Accessibility and Mobility
• Public Transit
• Pedestrians & Bicycle Infrastructure
• Recommendations
these reasons, it is crucial to accommodate the freight
movement in the area while providing safe roads for other
users.
The transition from manual labor to less physically
demanding work and increases in automobile
transportation, elevator use, and television watching
time all contribute to the more sedentary lifestyle we live
today 24. Increases in sedentary time are associated with
a number of negative consequences, including a lower
quality of life, higher morbidity, and a shorter expected
lifespan 27. Thus, one goal within transportation planning
should be to provide inclusive built environments that
promote active transportation and recreational use to
mitigate the impacts of a sedentary lifestyle.
27
MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC
Existing Conditions
From a transportation perspective, one of the challenges
to redesigning the corridor is the many different functions
that south Commercial Avenue serves in Anacortes.
Commercial Avenue is a State Highway (SR-20) and is
crucial to Washington State because of its connection to
the Ferry Terminal and its function as a principal arterial
in the city. Reconciling the avenue’s functional value for
motor vehicle traffic with the need to make it safer and
more enjoyable for alternative modes of transportation
is a key issue in this project. Research demonstrates that
heavier vehicles and higher vehicle speeds are more
dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers 28. For
example, the risk of severe injury for a pedestrian struck
by a motor vehicle reaches 50% at a speed of 31 mph
29
. Speeding vehicles are also one of the most prevalent
factors contributing to crashes 30. Current speeds and
traffic volumes on Commercial Avenue are not high for a
principal arterial. Nonetheless, all else equal, decreasing
vehicle speed and the size of vehicles along the corridor
may improve safety by reducing the number and severity
of crashes. Higher traffic volumes are also associated
with increased morbidity and mortality from air pollution,
which further supports consideration for traffic reducing
measures along the south Commercial Avenue corridor 31.
The speeds of Commercial Avenue are on the lower end
of what is usually seen on principal arterials; the road itself
is limited to 35 mph, while side roads are set at 25 mph,
as shown in the map below. Regardless of the relatively
low speeds of this main street highway, its current design
emphasizes vehicle travel, with minimal features for
pedestrians and bicyclists. There are few traffic calming
features along the section of the road that is the focus
of the redesign proposal; the avenue is wide, with few
crosswalks or traffic lights.
The traffic volume on SR-20 averages approximately 15,000
trips per day 32. Ferry riders represent a significant portion
of the motor vehicle traffic along the corridor. In 2012, 16%
of traffic along the corridor was destined for the San Juan
ferry terminal 33. There were 909,195 vehicle trips on the
Anacortes-San Juan ferries in 2015, and 188,852 vehicle
trips on the Anacortes-Guemes ferries in 2009 34. In 2015
the consulting firm Transportation Solutions conducted a
Level of Service (LOS) analysis of all the intersections on
south Commercial Avenue, and found that all, except for
one, adhered to LOS standards for the city 35. However,
the analysis did note that these LOS-estimates did not
include capacity impacts of non-motorized vehicles. Thus
the LOS may be lower than originally estimated. The City of
Anacortes is forecasting housing and employment growth
in the coming years, which may result in increased traffic
along south Commercial Avenue, as-well-as induce traffic
displacement to Marine Drive, which is unwanted by the
City 36. In 2007, four intersections along south Commercial
Avenue were in the top ten locations for motor vehicle
crashes in the city 32.
Map T.1 Traffic speeds on selected roads in Anacortes.
Source: Anna Bovbjerg/ESRI.
28
TRANSPORTATION | MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC
Proposed Changes
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan proposes
a number of improvements on the corridor that seek
to augment public health. In relation to motor vehicle
transportation, these suggestions are focused around
traffic calming and a decrease in traffic speeds. First
of all, the corridor plan suggests decreasing speeds
on south Commercial Avenue from 35 mph to 25 mph.
However, the current speed limit is often disregarded.
When the speed limit is lowered to 25 mph, vehicles will
continue to speed if the policy change is not accompanied
by further intervention. For this reason, a series of
calming improvements are suggested to accompany the
recommended speed policy. The largest intervention is
the narrowing of the road lane from 20ft to 11ft, according
to the renderings in the Corridor Plan. It is documented
through literature and practice that a narrower lane width
is directly correlated with lower vehicle speeds. Narrowing
the lane width will also create more space for other users,
which should incentivize other users to increase utilization
of the corridor. A higher presence of pedestrians and
bikes in the driver’s field of vision will further increase
driver awareness and caution 27. The Corridor Plan also
suggests installing rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFB)
at all crossings on south Commercial Avenue. These are
intended to increase driver awareness of pedestrians
and to reduce vehicle speeds. It is noted in the Corridor
Plan that the suggestions will slightly increase average
vehicle delay, by an unquantified amount, but that all
intersections will remain in compliance with city and
state LOS requirements. The South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan also proposes installing raised crosswalks at
32 selected side street intersections. The goal of doing so
is again to decrease vehicle speeds and induce a sense of
safety in the pedestrians and bicycles using the corridor 22.
Health Impacts
There are both negative and positive health impacts of
the proposed South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan.
Reducing speeds in the corridor may lead to fewer multimodal incidents along with fewer motor vehicle incidents
37
. It is also probable that the incidents that do occur will
have a lower severity and result in fewer fatalities 37. However, there are several potential negative impacts of the
proposal. The four signalized intersections, at 12th Street,
17th Street, 22nd Street and 32nd Street may have two
negative impacts. Firstly, as noted in the Corridor Plan,
these intersections will slightly increase the average control delay, which leads to increased pollution in the local
area. This issue is discussed further in the Environmental
Health chapter. Secondly, intersections, especially badly timed intersections, increase the prevalence of dilemma-zone behavior; when the light changes from green to
yellow, and the driver is within the dilemma zone, he or
she will either have to brake unsafely or speed up in order
to make the light before it changes 38. In addition to the
potential negative safety implications of this behavior, excessive braking leads to increased noise levels, while unbalanced acceleration is both noise and pollution inducing
39
.
The use of raised crosswalks should be further
investigated before making a final decision. Though they
are only placed on side streets, they may not provide
the health benefit that is sought from them, compared
to the negative impact they may have. Generally, raised
crosswalks have not been found to have a significant
effect on the lowering of speeds, and as the side streets
where they are proposed are already full stop, it may not
provide a benefit. In the cases where the side street does
not have a full stop, the vehicle speeds are too high, at
25 mph to safely use raised crosswalks. Higher speeds
compound the negative impacts of raised crosswalks,
which include vehicle damage, especially for longer buses
and recreational vehicles 40. Because Anacortes has many
tourists visiting in RVs and campers, along with regular
bus and truck traffic, raised crosswalks may lead to
significant damage to vehicles and goods traversing them
39
. Second, raised crosswalks lead to excess noise due to
the acceleration and deceleration they induce 41-43. Raised
29
TRANSPORTATION | MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC
crosswalks have previously been found to be dangerous
to 2-wheeled vehicles, such as motorcycles, as they have
a tendency to make them tip over, depending on the
type of pavement chosen and the external conditions 42.
Fourth, studies demonstrate significant negative health
impacts of raised crosswalks on commercial drivers such
as truckers, buses, and workmen in heavier vehicles,
who have an increased prevalence of spinal cord injury
from poorly designed tables and bumps, even at very
low speeds 41,43. One thing, that could be a big challenge
to Anacortes, is that it is complicated to construct these
crosswalk interventions accurately enough that they have
the desired effects. For example, a previous study found
that the recommended ramp height for raised crosswalks
should be 10%; at both 11% and 12% the effect it had on
reducing vehicle speeds was significantly lower 40. Another
study found that 75% of the bumps, humps, and tables
surveyed were not constructed according to standard or
design. When they are not correctly done, they’ll often
need to be resurfaced or rebuilt within a short period
of time, leading to increased expenses on maintenance.
This report also questions the cost estimate provided in
the Corridor Plan, as the cost of one raised crosswalk is
usually set at $1,290 to $30,880, averaging at $8,200 per
Table T.5 Speeds, Distance, Injury Severity
30
unit 44. Stretches of road equipped with raised crosswalks
are harder to maintain during the winter season after
snowfall or other difficult conditions, which can be an
economic burden to the city 41,42. Furthermore, roads that
are not properly maintained can be detrimental to the
health of vulnerable populations like senior citizens, who
are unable to walk freely and are at high risk from danger
due to bad road conditions 45. As Anacortes has a high
number of seniors in the community, this is an important
consideration in regards to their health. Finally, raised
crosswalks are problematic for emergency response
vehicles 43. It is generally recommended not to install them
on roads that are used by emergency response teams,
as they pose a danger to both the team and the patient
being carried 43. Though raised crosswalks have been
documented to lower vehicle speeds slightly, the potential
negative health impacts of them are high, which is why
it is recommended that alternatives are considered or a
study conducted to evaluate their potential negative and
positive health impacts.
FREIGHT & COMMERCIAL
TRAFFIC
Table T.6 Freight Classifications
Existing Conditions
2015 FGTS City Street T1 -T5 Classifications
Freight is defined as all forms of transportation used to
transport bulk goods: trucks, trains, ships, or aircraft.
Anacortes has an airport, seaport, two ferry terminals,
and a railroad that all provide the city with jobs and
are a reflection of the local history and culture of the
community. Each of these different transportation modes
vary in scale in terms of their goods volume. State Route
20 sees 3.1 million tons of freight per year with R Avenue
experiencing 1.7 million tons of freight each year 44. These
roads are comparable to many stretches along the SR-99
corridor 46. These routes are important to the local and
regional economy with the ferry being a primary means
for getting goods to British Columbia. The historic railroad
line into Anacortes from the existing refinery railroad has
been converted into a pedestrian and bicycle pathway.
This trail, named the Tommy Thompson Trail, provides
residents and tourists with new recreation experiences
and opportunities for physical activity.
Start
End
FGTS Class
Average
Daily
Truck
Volumes
2015
Tonnage
32nd St
D Ave
R Ave
T-3
395
875,363
Q Ave
22nd St
4th St
T-3
641
1,534,035
R Ave
SR 20
22nd St
T-3
604
1,658,423
D Ave
37th St
SR 20
T-3
465
947,438
2015 FGTS State Route T1 -T5 Classifications
(Courtesy of Freight Systems Division)
Route Description
FGTS
Class
2015 Tonnage
Truck
%
SR 20
SR 20 to Commercial Ave
T-3
3,150,500
4.5%
SR 20
Commercial Ave to Ferry
Terminal
T-3
1,326,000
4.0%
SR 99
Elliot Ave to N 105th St
T-2
3,160,000
2.8%
Map T.2 Anacortes Freight
Routes
Source: Patrick Pirtle
ANACORTES
PORT
ERR
Y
Study Area
T3 Freight Route
Q AVE
SR20
SR
20
ANACORTES
AIRPORT
Other Routes
32nd St
Proposed Routes
Rails to Trails
Railroad
SR
RAILROAD
BC F
GUEMES
FERRY
R AVE
EY,
Route
Name
COMMERCIAL AVE
SIDN
(Courtesy of Freight Systems Division)
20
Tom
my
Tho
mp
son
Tra
il
31
OAD
TRANSPORTATION | FREIGHT & COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC
Proposed Changes
All of the road design alternatives proposed by Alta
Planning + Design would require freight trucks to slow
down, potentially resulting in the displacement of freight
to alternative routes. Narrower lanes, more pedestrians,
traffic calming, and increased complexity has the potential
to discourage freight to use south Commercial Avenue due
to increased time and risk. Given that all of the adjacent
roads in the network have the same right-of-way-width as
south Commercial Avenue with less infrastructure, freight
may naturally shift to less restrictive pathways. Because of
the above mentioned design features, freight would have
to go slower in speed than currently which may result in,
more pollution. The addition of a vegetative buffer and
setbacks from the curb edge could help mitigate the
impacts of the resulting pollution 47.
The complete implementation of this project is being
proposed in pieces allowing for design strategies to be
tested at a small scale. As early buildout occurs, small
interventions have the potential to impact freight on the
corridor. The phased development strategy of the road
can benefit the city by taking advantage of testing road
schemes using paint and planters. Using this strategy,
there could be a focus on freight traffic, to see if it shifts
to other roads due to different interventions and what the
potential long-term impacts of a shift might be.
Any shifts in freight truck route volumes could potentially
push the negative impacts to other areas of the city.
Ideally, freight will be encouraged in areas that have and
are expected to have low levels of residential housing
and pedestrians, resulting in better air quality, noise
reduction, and an overall improved urban environment
for pedestrians and bikes, among others 27. The Public
Retail Property Proposal Map T.4, conducted by Anacortes
shows the public's interest in having new retail and
pedestrian destinations clustered along Q Avenue, R
Avenue, within the Commercial Business District, and
along the waterfront. With the ongoing need for freight,
freight routes will need to be planned along-side the city’s
32
Table T.7: US EPA Truck Emission for Selected Pollutants
long-term land use and economic strategies to minimize
its impacts on public health and the economic vitality of
Anacortes.
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan prioritizes
bikes and pedestrians with wide sidewalks, vegetative
buffers, and protected bike lanes resulting in a potentially
safer environment for bikers and pedestrians. Safety is
lowest where there are driveways into parking lots. Based
on a survey of curb cuts using Google maps street view,
80% of the blocks have one or more driveways onto
Commercial Avenue. In the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan, vehicles, including freight will have to cross
23 feet of pedestrian infrastructure in the pedestrian
activation zones when entering and exiting business
parking lots. This is cause for concern because it was
found that the greatest contributor for truck incidents is
conflicts with pedestrians 47.
If the manufacturing and freight industry is projected
to dwindle over time, then the potential long-term
impacts of the design on freight can be disregarded.
This is a potential because implementation of the south
Commercial Avenue redesign will be a catalyst for future
development, potentially resulting in less intensive landuses being changed to support high-density, multi-use
buildings with high rents. This would reduce freight needs
derived from Anacortes due to a loss of manufacturing
land use, although freight to and from British Columbia
and the port will continue to be an impact to Anacortes.
Thus, careful consideration should be made to the design’s
impact on the movement of goods. The balancing of
freight with pedestrian and bike infrastructure should be
analyzed further before moving ahead with a permanent
intervention. Implementing the suggested Quick Build
Street would allow the city to collect traffic data from testing
Design Alternatives
TIVE B
// PARKWAY
different street design strategies, hopefully resulting in a
Figure T. 3 Potential Conflict Diagrams | Pedestrian
Activation Zone (top) Other Areas (bottom)
Source: Alta Planning & Design
Ave. condition for all stakeholders.
final design that |isS. Commercial
an ideal
CAL CORRIDOR SECTION PREFERRED CONCEPT
ON B
Health Impacts
s a planted
Freight plays a pivotal role in the existing economy of
Anacortes with manufacturing being the top core industry
48
. In the July 2015 Port of
odate a tree, itat 28% of the overall total
sidewalk with
Anacortes newsletter it was reported that Port Executive
for the tree.
Dan Worra presented a 60% revenue increase for the
s on both sides
or segments, Port over the last seven years. While this is economically
to be removed
beneficial to Anacortes and the region, the diesel and
ng and elements
CONCEPT A trucks that support this part of the
gasoline freight
the Pedestrian
GATEWAY to OLD TOWN
economy exhaust 40 toxic chemicals into the environment
1.5’ gutter
gutter
47
.5’ paving
.5’ paving
n Zones
that each 5have
various
impacts to 1.5’human
health
.
’
3’
3’
5’
.5’ curb
.5’ curb
band
band
n the corridor
character of
ngs and/or
tree
grate
tree
grate
23
GATEWAY TO ANACORTES
.5’ paving
HOSPITAL OVERLAY
band
.5’ curb
1.5’ gutter
2’ shy zone
.5’ paving
band
.5’ curb
1.5’ gutter
2’ shy zone
Particulate Matter
(PM) 18’is one of
the primary
chemicals
6’Pedestrian8’Activation Zones
11’
11’
11’
8’
6’
3’
10’
3’ (sidewalk
6’
18’
Planting 9.5’
Silva cells
w/ 8’
tree wells)
Bike/Pedestrian
Facilitated
Crossing
planting/
sidewalk
bike pedestrian travel lane
planted
travel lane
sidewalk bike planting
parking &
center turn
planting bike sidewalk
parking &
in the exhaust
which
is
also
one
of
the
lane activation w/
median w/
w/ silva lane
w/ curb
travel
lane
lane
w/ curb laneharmful
w/ silva
travel
lane more
turn pockets
cells
cells
curb
23.5’
33’ curb to curb
23.5’
17’
to curb
17’ more
chemicals to public
health 47.46’ curbDiesel
engines are
80’ right-of-way
80’ right-of-way
SECTION PREFERRED CONCEPT
| S. Commercial Ave.
B
harmful to CONCEPT
humans
and the environment TYPICAL
thanCORRIDOR
gasoline
B
A OPTION B
GATEWAY to OLD TOWN
ElementsBay Area, 81% of allpowered engines.
In the San Francisco
cancer risks are associated with air pollution derived from
HOSPITAL OVERLAY
Alternative
B incorporates
a planted
diesel particulate matter 49. The
volume
of contaminants
Planting
Pedestrian Activation Zones
Bike/Pedestrian Facilitated Crossing
released is correlated to the speed of the vehicle 49. In a
throughout the corridor. In the corridor
recent Bay Area California study, the highest risk cancer
to accommodate a tree, it
areas where
theC ones closestwide
toenough
freeways,
seaports, and
CONCEPT
is recommended to use a sidewalk with
SOUTH COMMERCIAL AVENUE CORRIDOR PLAN |
CITY OF ANACORTES, WA
49
tm
airports .GATEWAY
Anacortes
has all
these
present,
underneath for the
tree.
Silva
Cells conditions
to OLD TOWN
with one being the study siteOn-street
and parking
others
being
in sides
close
remains
on both
of the street in the corridor segments,
proximity.
8’
planting/
pedestrian
activation w/
curb
ALTERNATIVE B // PARKWAY
6’
bike
lane
9.5’
NORTH
sidewalk
NORTH
while it is recommended to be removed
and replaced with planting and elements
such as street furniture in the Pedestrian
physical impacts caused through
Activation Zones.
CONCEPT A
In addition to the
inhalation of air pollution, the noise produced by freight
The Pedestrian Activation Zones
can impact a person’s hearing,
health,
and overall
canmental
highlight the
marine character
of
50
Anacortes
through
plantings
and/or
quality of life . It can cause stress, sleep disturbances,
marine artwork.
hearing loss, and cardiovascular diseases 50. Noise
produced from a truck can vary; the heavier the truck
the greater the noise 51. As speeds increase and when
GATEWAY to OLD TOWN
5’
.5’ paving
band
3’
tree
grate
8’
sidewalk
w/ silva
cells
6’
3’
bike planting
lane w/ curb
1.5’ gutter
.5’ curb
18’
parking &
travel lane
17’
1.5’ gutter
.5’ curb
10’
center turn
lane
18’
parking &
travel lane
46’ curb to curb
80’ right-of-way
CONCEPT B
.5’ paving
band
.5’ paving
HOSPITAL OVERLAY
band
3’
5’
tree
grate
Planting 9.5’
sidewalk
3’ (sidewalk
6’
Silva cells
w/ 8’
tree wells)
planting bike sidewalk
w/ curb lane w/ silva
cells
6’Pedestrian
plan
bike pede
lane activa
c
23.5’
17’
B
A
GATEWAY to OLD TOWN
.5’ curb
1.5’ gutt
HOSPITAL OVERLAY
Map T.3 # of Curb Cuts Along Commercial Ave.
(Data derived from Google Maps)
0
1
2
CONCEPT C
3
4
5
6
7
Planting
Pedestrian
SOUTH COMMER
GATEWAY to OLD TOWN
33
Map T.4 Public Retail Property Proposal Map: This was produced as an exercise during a planning meeting in Anacortes.
It shows were attendees would like to see new retail (Makers,
2010).
traffic speeds constantly vary due to design elements like
speeds humps and stop signs, the noise produced by
vehicles increases 51. Roadway texture can also impact
noise. Materials like brick and paving stones “can increase
noise from vehicles ...caused by their bodywork to vibrate
51
.” Materials that can shift over time may also require
additional maintenance due to the physical impacts of
freight vehicles.
Commercial Ave
As the previously provided evidence suggests, the
magnitude of impacts caused by truck freight is primarily
dictated by proximity and the frequency of exposure to
toxins and the noise. This is also true for collisions; as
the volume of interaction increases it is expected that
collisions will also increase. Overall, as interaction between
people and freight increases, so do the negative health
impacts. So, it is recommended that the long-term city
goal incorporates ways to limit the interaction between
pedestrians and freight trucks.
R Ave
l
rai
eT
Bik
SR20
Health impacts of traffic pollution near highways
(Courtesy of The Impact Project)
34
Children:
Adults:
•
Higher risk of asthma for children living within 1/4 mile of a
highway.
•
Higher long-term exposure to traffic is associated with new
cases of heart disease in middle aged persons.
•
Asthma gets worse, such as wheezing and use of more
asthma medication, among children living closer to
highways.
•
Both short-term and long-term exposure to traffic-related
air pollution is related to cardiovascular deaths and illness.
•
Higher risk of asthma when exposed to traffic pollution at
school.
•
Traffic pollution is linked to increased new cases of lung
cancer in people who never smoked.
•
Reduced lung growth in children living within 1,640 feet of
a highway.
•
Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution in
middle-aged women is linked with a risk of developing type
II diabetes as the women age.
•
Premature births and smaller weight babies for pregnant
women living near highways.
•
Breast cancer in post-menopausal women is linked to
traffic-related pollution.
ACCESSIBILITY & MOBILITY
Commercial Avenue is a small-town Main Street. People
use it for more than passing through town. People choose
to walk a Main Street because it is a destination: a place
to buy things, dine out, drink coffee and meet with friends.
These are all pedestrian level activities. South Commercial
Avenue is currently designed for the needs of motor
vehicles, but it has the potential to meet the needs of a
broader community by incorporating inclusive design for
all users. The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
provides recommendations that will help cue drivers
that this is a place of complexity with a mix of vulnerable
users. Accessibility concerns are particularly important
for Anacortes because of the significant percentage of
residents with disabilities. 13.1% of Anacortes residents
have a disability, and 30% of Anacortes residents over age
65 have a disability 52. Overall, the American population
is aging, disability is increasing, and the Corridor Plan
represents an opportunity for Anacortes to plan for the
changing needs of its future population 20,26.
Existing Conditions
Current conditions for Commercial Avenue show that
it has a raised, paved sidewalk along its entire length;
however, the sidewalk is narrow, about five feet wide in
many places. This makes it difficult and dangerous for
two individuals in wheelchairs to pass one another on
the sidewalk without risking falls onto the roadway. The
pavement is in disrepair in many places, posing risks of
tripping and falling for older adults. Additionally, the
sidewalk has many unnecessary obstacles, including light
and electric poles placed in the middle of the sidewalk,
and curb cuts are too narrow and steep. Another critical
issue for persons with mobility impairments are the many
driveways disrupting the sidewalk. Many of the driveways
slope in such a way that people in wheelchairs are in
danger of tipping over. Finally, Commercial Avenue’s public
right of way is over 70 feet wide, yet only five feet per side is
provided for people who walk or use wheelchairs, and no
accommodations have been made for safe bicycle travel.
These overly wide streets often encourage excessive
speed which presents challenges for the safe crossing of
pedestrians at unsignalized intersections. This excessively
limits accessibility and mobility of disabled and elderly
people because they cannot easily and safely cross the
street.
The Corridor Plan proposes strategies that will increase
the amount of room available to vulnerable road users;
it provides for increased sidewalk width and greater
separation from motor vehicles. Although some of the
existing sidewalks meet current ADA requirements, there
are barriers scattered along the corridor’s sidewalk,
compounded by additional safety issues, such as, the
previously discussed driveways, and excessive street
width. Anacortes and WSDOT both prioritize traffic safety.
Anacortes has a high population of residents over age 60.
The safety of older people is a priority for the city, and
this is reflected in the proposed improvements to the
pedestrian environment on south Commercial Avenue.
Research has clearly shown a direct correlation between
pedestrian friendly street design and reduced injury from
collisions 53. Based on this evidence, applying the complete
street concepts proposed in the South Commercial
Avenue Corridor Plan can be expected to reduce risk of
vehicle-pedestrian collisions, injury and fatalities along the
corridor.
Image T.4 Complete Street - courtesy of www.connect.cpex.org
35
TRANSPORTATION | ACCESSIBILITY & MOBILITY
Map T.5: Schools within 1/4 mile of Commercial Ave
Courtesy of Danielle Olson
Proposed Changes
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan calls for
creating environmental cues that help drivers recognize
the risk of fast driving on a busy main street with many
different people using the public right of way. These cues
communicate to drivers that this space is used by people
who walk, people who bike, older people and children.
Slower vehicle speeds may provide an improved sense
of pedestrian safety, which could positively impact health
through increased utilization of walking and community
spaces. This also holds positive implications for the
economic development of the corridor; as increased foot
traffic may encourage local and tourist shopping.
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan includes
suggestions for improving intersection crossings. This
is critical to safety. According to the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (IIHS), “among pedestrian crashes
of all severities, the most common scenario involves
pedestrians crossing in front of a passenger vehicle that is
traveling straight. These crashes typically occur on roads
with speed limits below 40 mph, and about half occur at
intersections” 54. Additionally, when cars hit pedestrians
at intersections 26% died and many more were seriously
injured 54.
The proposed Corridor Plan would help the City of
Anacortes improve accessibility and mobility for its most
vulnerable residents by narrowing the distance to cross
the street and widening the sidewalk, thus providing a
more inviting, comfortable, and safe pedestrian pathway
along south Commercial Avenue. Improving the ability
of mobility impaired and elderly individuals to engage in
activities that encourage independence has the potential
to lower medical costs by improving health. This may also
provide benefit by reducing isolation caused by poor
accessibility for older disabled people 55. Reducing barriers
which contribute to isolation and providing opportunities
for increased physical activity among seniors has been
linked to reductions in fall injuries, depression and
36
cognitive decline 56,57. The fact that Anacortes is home
to many assisted living facilities near south Commercial
Avenue means that with support, older adults using
mobility devices could remain active in their communities
longer.
Health Impacts
According to Tefft29, a person hit by a motor vehicle
traveling at 17.1 mph has a 10% increase in risk of serious
injury or death 29. The risk of serious injury and death goes
up to 25% when a person is hit by a car moving 25 mph. It
rises to 50% at 33 mph. By 40 mph people hit by cars have
a 75% risk of death or lifelong disability 29.
TRANSPORTATION | ACCESSIBILITY & MOBILITY
Map T.6 (top) One Day Pedestrian and Bike Count 2014 & 2015
Map
Map Courtesy of WSDOT
Downtown Anacortes has a relatively high level of features
that correlate with more people choosing to walk, such
as shorter blocks with more intersections and proximity
to goods and services such as, grocery stores within less
than a half mile 24,58. Improvements to the walking network
of the community could increase older adult’s levels of
self-sufficiency, which may allow them live independently
longer. The proposed improvements to south Commercial
Avenue include many of the features needed by older
individuals and individuals with mobility impairments.
Figure T.4 (below) One Day Pedestrian and Bike Count 2014 &
2015 chart
Data Courtesy of WSDOT
People bicycling or walking in Anacortes:
WSDOT Volunteer collected one-day-per-year counts from 7 to 9 AM and 5 to 7 PM September 2014 and 2015
140
126
125
Number of people counted
120
100
80
77
69
66
53
60
43
40
20
0
27
14
7 6
6
14
15
20
26
21
29
25
40
28
25
16
5
7
3
0 3
7
12
2 2
3
Bicycle AM 2014
Bicycle PM 2014
Bicycle AM 2015
Bicycle PM 2015
Walk AM 2014
11th St & Q Ave
14
27
25
69
25
12th St & M Ave
7
15
16
28
2
29th St & Comm. Ave
6
20
29
43
2
6
21
53
126
SR 20 & Sunset Ave
5
7
0
3
Tom. Th. Tr. & March's Pt
14
26
3
7
32nd St & M Ave
9th St & Comm. Ave
SR 20 & I Ave
20
17
7
7
5
23
13
Walk PM 2014
16 16
21
7
11
1
Walk AM 2015
9
Walk PM 2015
66
17
16
40
16
12
5
21
11
7
20
77
125
3
7
13
7
5
23
5
1
9
Number of people by street, mode, time of day, year
11th St & Q Ave
12th St & M Ave
29th St & Comm. Ave
32nd St & M Ave
9th St & Comm. Ave
SR 20 & I Ave
SR 20 & Sunset Ave
Tom. Th. Tr. & March's Pt
37
PUBLIC TRANSIT
Map T.6 Bus Routes 410 and 409
Source courtesy of Skagit County Transit
Existing Conditions
Anacortes currently has limited public transit. There
are no vanpools or co-driving initiatives that serve the
Anacortes area, so transit options are limited to buses.
The major bus options are routes 410 and 409, running
every hour, six days a week. These routes aim to run
in relative synchronization with the Washington State
Ferries in order to achieve an efficient trip for ferry users,
although unreliable ferry times can make proper time
synchronization difficult. Limitations also exist due to the
fact that the buses do not run as late as the ferries do. As
of Summer of 2014, the average wait time at the ferry for
bus users is 40 minutes for a weekday and 34 minutes on
a Saturday (there is no bus service on Sunday) 59.
An additional transit service in Anacortes is the airport
shuttle to SeaTac Airport. This shuttle serves multiple
locations in Anacortes. One of these locations is within
the project area of Commercial Avenue, located at 1312
Commercial Avenue. The shuttle runs 11 times per day.
Proposed Changes
One of the goals of the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan is to encourage economic development
on south Commercial Avenue. By improving accessibility
along the route, the corridor plan encourages more
pedestrian usage and business opportunities. Transit is
a crucial way to further encourage this development by
increasing connectivity and accessibility. The preferred
corridor plan option limits bus access with bicycle lanes
on either side of the roadway. The corridor plan includes
designs for covered bicycle facilities but doesn't take bus
waiting areas into account 22. An example of current bus
stop facilities are illustrated in Map T.6. These facilities do
not include covered waiting areas, though this may be a
valuable consideration for the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan.
38
TRANSPORTATION | PUBLIC TRANSIT
The proposed changes include bike lanes between 13th
and 14th Avenue. This makes the shuttle station between
13th and 14th difficult to access. This is an important
transit element to Seattle Tacoma International Airport.
Health Impacts
The impact of transit services on emissions is well
documented60. Although buses themselves emit more
pollutants per vehicle than personal vehicles, the impact
of taking personal vehicles off of the roadway provides
a net reduction in emissions60. The Transit Cooperative
Research Program report indicates that transit makes up
for its higher emissions rates with reductions in emissions
by increasing access for bicycles and pedestrians, as well
as providing benefits for businesses by increasing access
for potential customers60. Previous work has shown that
bus usage results in an aggregate 8% reduction in VMT,
fuel use, and emissions60. This figure is diluted by the
relatively small size of the transit network and land use
implications in Anacortes, but is still a good indicator of
emissions impacts. Since evidence has repeatedly tied
vehicle emissions to asthma, cancer causing carcinogens,
and other negative health outcomes, strategies and
planning for mitigating the health risks associated with
increased traffic volumes and urban growth should be
incorporated into the South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan.
A lack of accommodation for existing transit services such
as Skagit Transit Routes and the Airporter Shuttle may
lead to tendencies for prior transit users to utilize single
occupancy vehicles for their travel needs. This in turn
would increase congestion levels in the area, leading to
higher emissions overall. In addition, providing additional
public transit infrastructure will be beneficial to the aging
population who might have difficulties accessing important
destinations. Not providing public transit options along
the corridor could lead to a sense of greater isolation
within a population who commonly have mobility issues.
It should be noted that although use of public transit
has been associated with improved health outcomes, it
requires sufficient population density to be economically
viable. If this density isn’t present, the public transit system
would likely need heavy subsidies to remain operable.
Within the City of Anacortes, current and near term density
is unlikely to support more than minimal transit options,
but planning a street that allows for easy retrofitting will
make future expansion of public transportation services
easier.
Map T.7 (left) Airporter Shuttle Map. Source: Airporter
Shuttle
Image T.5 (above) Bus stop along bus route 409
39
PEDESTRIAN & BIKE
INFRASTRUCTURE
Existing Conditions
The city of Anacortes has much to offer for cyclists of all
ages and experience. In fact, Anacortes has created an
intra-urban map of the local pedestrian and bike corridors
to guide locals and visitors to common destination
points 61. This map highlights the south Commercial
Avenue corridor as a primary route for cycling; and yet,
when one assesses the bike-oriented infrastructure
along the corridor it is apparent that biking through the
corridor would be difficult for all but the bravest of riders.
Roger Geller from The Portland Office of Transportation
has classified cyclists into four main categories 22. The
“Strong and Fearless”, the “Enthused and Confident”, the
“Interested but Concerned”, and the “No Way, No How”
categories correlate to an individual’s comfort riding
a bike on different roadway conditions 22. The "Strong
and Fearless" ride without regard to road conditions
(less than 1% of the population) 22. The "Enthused and
Confident" will ride on roadways with vehicles, but prefer
to ride on bikeway infrastructure (7% of the population)
22
. Interestingly these two groups make up a very small
percentage of the population. The remaining majority
fall into two categories. The "Interested but Concerned"
category, which describe the type of individual who has an
interest in the idea of cycling either for pleasure, exercise,
or transportation, but has concerns about safety, avoids
main arterials, and rides only intermittently (60% of the
population); and the "No Way No How" individuals who
regardless of infrastructure will not ride (33% of the
population) 22. Geller argues that riding a bike “should
not require bravery”, and roadways should accommodate
cyclists of all abilities 62. In a follow up study evaluating
these typologies, research further showed that women
and older adults were lacking from the groups most likely
to ride on less than ideal bike infrastructure 62. This speaks
of an inequity that given appropriate roadway redesign
could potentially be reduced.
Current bicycle infrastructure along south Commercial
Avenue is not adequate to support or promote safe
cycling. Support for bicyclists is limited and the corridor
40
lacks continuous, bike lanes with clear demarcation. A
recent report by the City of Anacortes states that just
24% of Anacortes residents reported using a bike in the
previous year (2012) 63. This supports the notion that
bicycling is not an activity in which a large portion of the
community currently participates; this also reinforces the
typology described above. If on average 60% of any given
population is interested but lacks the confidence to ride,
one can imagine what might occur should the roadway
support safe bicycle use. Given the existing vision of
Anacortes to improve community health, economic
growth and connectivity within the city, targeting this
population, which has an interest in physical activity,
seems natural for improving overall community health
outcomes.
Additional barriers to bike usage along the corridor
include the dearth of readily available bike racks.
Anecdotally, upon short observation of the corridor,
during our site visit, there was minimal bike activity. It
should be noted that bike usage during the summer and
peak tourism travel times would likely differ significantly,
from off-season usage. However, regardless of the tourist
season, those willing to ride on the corridor would still
most likely fall into the upper 8% of serious riders.
Image T.6 Existing Condition
Courtesy of Alta Planning & Design
TRANSPORTATION | PEDESTRIAN & BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE
Proposed Changes
Image T.7 Alta Corridor Plan Proposal Rendering
Rendering courtesy of Alta Planning & Design
There are many opportunities along south Commercial
Avenue to create a more hospitable environment for
bicyclists. The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
explicitly targets the largest population of potential
bicycle riders: those who are "Interested but Concerned".
The corridor plan includes the addition of extensive
bicycle infrastructure to Commercial Avenue. Aside from
protected bike lanes with buffer zones, the corridor plan
provides additional support for bikes, including covered
bike parking and public bike repair stations 22.
Health Impacts
Higher quality and quantity of bicycle infrastructure is
associated with higher utilization 64. Creating a bike-friendly
environment by installing bike lanes and appropriate
signage has been shown to increase cycling 64. Thus,
the corridor redesign is not only likely to draw current
bicyclists to south Commercial Avenue, but is very likely to
spur more Anacortes residents to begin cycling; if existing
biking typology holds true.
There are 2 bike shops in Anacortes (one of which is on
south Commercial Avenue) that offer fairly comprehensive
support services for bicyclists. Thus, resources would
be available to cyclists if the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan succeeds in increasing bicycle use among
the large "Interested but Concerned" group. Anacortes is
also home to bike rental businesses. These probably have
little direct bearing on the health of residents because they
target tourists. However, although not a direct connection
to local health outcomes, increased tourist bicycle traffic
along the main corridor could have a direct and positive
impact on the economics of local businesses, which as
individual income increases one’s’ risk for mental health
disorders and obesity decreases 65,66.
Bicycling is a way to achieve both physical activity and
transportation. The US Surgeon General and the National
Prevention Strategy recommend at least 150 minutes of
physical activity per week. In this way, bicycling can be
an avenue for advancing health as well as an efficient
form of transit. Regular physical activity has been shown
to improve health outcomes in as diverse conditions as
musculoskeletal diseases, cardiovascular diseases, type 2
diabetes, pulmonary diseases, and neurological diseases,
so an increase in bicycling could have myriad of health
benefits 67. In the proposed South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan there is mention of better integration
between existing bicycle routes with south Commercial
Avenue at the intersection of 22nd street. The Tommy
Thompson trail, which runs parallel to south Commercial
Avenue just to the east, is a good candidate for such a
connection. When combined with appropriately designed
wayfinding, this will help increase the attractiveness of
south Commercial Avenue as a biking destination and may
spur more biking among residents. Additionally, the focus
on improving the availability and quality of bike parking
and adding free repair stations will further increase the
bike-friendliness of south Commercial Avenue.
41
RECOMMENDATIONS
SUPPORT OF THE DESIGN
MODIFICATIONS TO THE DESIGN
• Support for road design and interventions that seeks
• Consider alternatives to raised crosswalks that are less
to decrease speeds, as suggested in the Corridor Plan.
• Support for intersections, under the premise that the
city will ensure appropriate civil engineering applied, in
form of signal timing and evaluation.
• Support for RRFB.
• Support for defining primary freight routes. Take into
consideration long-term development potential and
existing land use.
• Focus on ADA accessibility such as wider sidewalks
since WSDOT will be improving the curb ramps.
• Reduce driveway intrusion into walking environments
by consolidating parking entrances.
• Improve side street sidewalks and add bike and parking
noise-inducing and not as detrimental to larger vehicles
such as emergency vehicles, buses and semi-trucks,
along with other negative impacts described.
• Consider further traffic studies on perpendicular streets
to assess the potential unintended transportation,
economic and health impacts of using raised crosswalks
in crosswalks running parallel to south Commercial
Avenue.
• Explore funding opportunities for increasing the
efficiency of freight trucks.
• Balance speed and efficiency of freight with public
safety by way of baseline and post installation traffic and
collision studies. If collisions are too frequent consider
looking at changing crosswalk timing, traffic signals etc.
buffers to further make pedestrians feel protected from
moving motor vehicles. This will add to accessibility to
south Commercial Avenue
• Consider promoting non-residential uses adjacent to
• Continue to plan south Commercial Avenue around
hours, although consider potential costs to businesses
of changes.
the safety of the city’s most vulnerable populations, as
described in the Anacortes Comprehensive Plan.
• Consider implementing the temporary Quick Build
changes to evaluate potential impacts of the changes
on pedestrian and cyclist usage.
• Support
the
infrastructure.
proposed
pedestrian
and
bike
primary freight route.
• Explore delivery and pick-up methods during alternative
• Locate the vehicle stop line farther away from the
crosswalk.
• Provide signals that give pedestrians a head start and
more time to cross. The extra time will enable elderly,
children and other users to safely cross the roads. This
may induce a slightly higher average vehicle delay, but
will improve accessibility for all users, and potentially
encourage elderly to further utilize the corridor.
• The preferred corridor design should consider
integrating bus stops into the plan. The design should
show how buses will work within the preferred design
strategy, while also considering how transit retrofits can
be accomplished as Anacortes grows.
42
ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH
CHAPTER SECTIONS
According to the World Health Organization, “an estimated
12.6 million people died as a result of living or working
in an unhealthy environment in 2012... Environmental
risk factors, such as air, water, and soil pollution, chemical
exposures, climate change, and ultraviolet radiation
contribute to [the manifestation of] more than 100
diseases and injuries 68.” Global estimations of death
and disease burden may seem a grim comparison to
the relative environmental security that the majority of
individuals living within the United States experience.
However, changes in the built environment, weather,
and other unexpected environmental changes are not
infrequent.
Concerns with the unintended consequences of human
interaction with nature are valid. From reports of human
drugs poisoning local salmon populations, to reports of
lead and radon exposure among children and seniors,
the balance between city growth and environmental
preservation is delicate69. Recent closures of fishing
• Environmental Noise
• Air Quality
• Water Quality
• Green Space
• Recommendations
waters and coastal beaches for public safety are locally
significant, affecting the economies and human health of
people living in Puget Sound coastal cities 69. This section
focuses on the potential environmental health impacts of
Key areas of emphasis include air quality, water quality,
noise pollution, and green space.
43
ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE
Figure EV.5 Environmental noise sources have potentially
“Zero decibels (o dB) is the quietest sound audible to a
Environmental Noise Section negative community health impacts (Quiller).
healthy human ear. From there, every increase of 3 dB
represents a doubling of sound intensity, or acoustic
power 70”. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Environmental Noise Section Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), an individual
is able to experience continuous noise at 85 dB for
roughly eight hours without significant hearing damage
Figure X. Environmental noise and sources having potentially negative community health -- approximately equal to the noise produced by a city
impacts in Anacortes, Washington. Source; Quiller, 2015 ears.
On a recent walking tour of the corridor, several
roadway with an average amount of vehicular traffic 71.
authors of this HIA noted constant background noise from
The acceptable time limit is reduced by half (to four hours)
acceleration
and deceleration of traffic, as well as loud
with every increase of 3 dB. These estimates vary based
rubber friction on asphalt. This anecdotal
evidence could
on vehicle type, speed, roadway material, surrounding
be comparable to the experiences that other visitors to
infrastructure, traffic volumes, and time of day; for
the south Commercial Avenue corridor
may have. To our
example, a passing diesel truck can emit 100 dB 72. When
knowledge, there are no existing data
on
noise levels along
contemplating the proposed south Commercial Avenue
south Commercial Avenue, but design changes to the
redesign,
it
is
important
to
assess
the
project’s
effects
on
igure X. Environmental noise and sources having potentially negative community health corridor could positively impact a reduction in unwanted
reducing
unwanted
and
unhealthy
noise
levels.
Figure
mpacts in Anacortes, Washington. Source; Quiller, 2015 and harmful noise levels.
EV.5 shows potential pathways to health impacts from
environmental noise.
Proposed Changes
Existing Conditions
The noise along Commercial Avenue currently experienced
by pedestrians could be considered excessive to sensitive
44
The proposed South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
addresses vehicular speed and road
surface design for
vehicular traffic. Reductions in vehicular speed in zones
sensitive
to excessive noise can impact overall noise
levels 73. Construction of the roadway utilizing modern
technology for noise reduction can further reduce noise
from the roadway 73.
Vehicular traffic serves as one of the primary sources
of environmental noise pollution 73. Reducing vehicular
speeds decreases the amount of sound emitted by the
roadway 73. This has the mutual benefit of making the
roadways safer 73,74. Noise reducing pavement should be
considered in the construction of the roadway. With the
use of noise-reducing pavement, researchers observed a
reduction of noise by 6dB at vehicle speeds of 35 MPH
73
. Truck traffic should continue to be encouraged to use
alternative routes whenever possible, because they tend
to emit the highest noise levels 72.
Map EV.8 Hypothetical Noise Impacted Regions--Consider Extra
Ordinances in areas near public places.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE
Figure EV.6 Sound Levels
Courtesy of www.hearforever.org
A less obvious source of potentially excessive noise
is evening nightlife, local concerts held outdoors, and
outdoor public spaces such as restaurants. A typical
neighborhood bar on a Friday evening is shown to emit
79 dB, a nightclub emits between 89 to 105 dB, and an
urban patio emits roughly 73 dB 72. The majority of these
frequencies fall within acceptable ranges for constant
exposure without hearing loss for up to eight hours,
but the appeal of community gathering may be reduced
greatly when compounded with traffic and other sources
of environmental noise 75.
Research suggests that “comfortable speech levels fall
between 60-65 dB, so [overlapping or layered] noise levels
that frequently rise into this range reduce intelligibility
75
”. Additionally, individuals exposed to long hours of
higher decibel noise falling outside of the CDC noise
exposure time recommendations are much more likely to
experience hearing loss 71. One such example would be
restaurant and other nightlife workers who are exposed
to the noise from restaurant operations, passing freight,
vehicular traffic, ambient environmental noise, and
ambulances, which have been shown to emit noise levels
between 100-140 dB 72. While the economic benefits of
providing a complete street for multimodal activity can be
substantial, the potential for negative community health
outcomes should be considered.
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan is designed
as a complete street and incorporates traffic calming
features into its design, such as narrowed lanes and
greenery. As the South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan progresses, the City should consider evaluating the
corridor plan for its various design features and their
noise reduction measures. Rubberized asphalt pavement
was shown to reduce noise levels by 3 to 5 dB when
compared to traditional asphalt dense-graded surfaces
76
. If the implementation of the Corridor Plan provides an
overall reduction in traffic noise, the benefits of building
a pedestrian and bike-friendly pathway have a higher
chance of achieving the intended outcomes of increased
community mixing, accessibility, and physical activity.
Furthermore, evaluation of current municipal noise
ordinances may be warranted to accommodate future
community gatherings, concerts, and other public events
while also factoring in the appropriate noise levels for
various sections along the corridor (e.g., hospital overlay,
restaurant and retail, mixed-use/live-work areas, spiritual
gathering centers). External consulting with specialists
who are experienced with ‘urban soundproofing’ (noise
reducing) may provide additional design insights for future
corridor plan changes. Map EV.8 is a conceptual diagram
showing how different regions could be impacted by a
corridor emitting excessive noise.
Health Impacts
The World Health Organization and Environmental
Protection Agency recognize the association of noise
with hazardous health effects. Noise-induced hearing
loss, sleep disturbance, performance impairment, and
cardiovascular and psychophysiological effects have all
been attributed as negative health outcomes from noise
74,77
. Nearby locations, including Island Hospital, Island
View Elementary School, Anacortes Middle School, and
Chandler’s Square Community Retirement Center, can be
negatively impacted from a corridor emitting excessive
noise.
45
AIR QUALITY
Table EV.8 Air Quality Index in Anacortes, WA
Data courtesy of EPA
Air quality should be taken into consideration in the final
decision of the Corridor Plan. Creating ample distance
between cycling lanes and traffic will reduce exposure to
traffic-related air pollution among cyclists and pedestrians.
Existing Conditions
Air quality in Anacortes is relatively good. According to the
EPA’s air quality index which monitors daily air pollutant
levels of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 and Ozone, the annual
average of PM2.5 was 23 and that of Ozone was 29. These
are within the range of 0-50, which is considered “Good”: air
pollution poses little or no risk 78. The existing Commercial
Avenue corridor has an intermittent on-street bike lane
without green medians and other physical barriers to
reduce pedestrian and bicyclist exposure to air pollution
caused by vehicular travel. In a study conducted at the
University of Montana, 20-30% of all vehicle transport
surveyed was used for tourism mobility 79. The World
Trade Organization (WTO) Climate Report shows that
tourism activity, especially mobility, is responsible for 4.9%
of global CO2 emissions 79,80. With the main state route
to the WSDOT Ferry Terminal running through the heart
of the City, the health impact of seasonal vehicular travel
from tourism should be included in an overall air quality
assessment.
Proposed Changes
The proposed south Commercial Avenue redesign
includes vegetation barriers, trees, and traffic calming
measures. Additionally, there is mention that Anacortes
envisions a shift in freight traffic to alternative routes. As
Alta Planning + Design works with the City of Anacortes to
further the vision of south Commercial Avenue, additional
traffic studies should include a longitudinal review of
seasonal traffic volumes, ideally after the installation of a
temporary build-out.
46
Health Impacts
Air pollution has negative health effects on humans
.
Literature shows that cyclists are at increased risk for
inhaling pollutants from vehicle emission 82. Some of the
air pollutants associated with vehicle emissions are carbon
monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead,
and particulate matter 83. Adverse health effects include
asthma, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease, breast cancer, stroke and lung cancer
81,84
. Several studies have found that the individual air
pollution exposure levels among bicyclists using onroad cycling lanes were higher compared to those using
separated lanes 85. Increased distance from the road and
81
the presence of vegetation barriers between cycling and
vehicle lanes are two variables commonly associated
with reduced exposure to traffic-related air quality health
outcomes among cyclists 86.
“Traffic congestion increases vehicle emissions and
degrades ambient air quality, and recent studies have
shown excess morbidity and mortality for drivers,
commuters and individuals living near major roadways”
87
. The existing correlation among roadway congestion,
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | AIR QUALITY
reduced vehicle speeds, and increased air emissions
demonstrates that reducing speeds below 40 mph can
dramatically increase toxic emissions 31,88. Interestingly,
this phenomenon occurs primarily from idling, as well
as frequent accelerations and decelerations caused by
poorly managed traffic flows in reduced speed zones
88,89
. In a pilot study conducted in the Netherlands, the
main freeway speed was dramatically reduced with strict
enforcement of the lower speed limit 89. The results
demonstrated that even with a significant decrease in
speed, the overall NO2 emissions were decreased along
the pilot corridor. Researchers cited planning and traffic
speed policies as complementary reinforcements to the
speed and emissions changes 89. With such dramatic
fluctuations in traffic volumes during peak tourism months,
the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan is uniquely
positioned to both address public safety and counter
the potential negative health impacts of slower vehicles.
Implementation of the South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan’s recommended traffic calming measures will have an
added benefit when combined with city policies to combat
vehicle emissions (e.g. speed enforcement and traffic
diversion techniques). Use of an efficient transportation
emission reduction strategy, such as Transportation
Demand Management (TDM), could reduce the potential
harm to local residents and tourists from air pollution 88.
Figure EV.7 Air Pollution Production
Courtesy of www.electricradiatorsdirect.co.uk
47
WATER QUALITY
Existing Conditions
Figure EV.8 Water Quality Assessment & Water
Contaminants
Water quality - sewage overflow prevention
The Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE)
reports that 14 million pounds of pollutants flow into the
Puget Sound each year, including petroleum hydrocarbons,
pesticides, and fertilizers from surface water runoff.
These pollutants cause shellfish bed closures and toxic
algal blooms, and may cause cancer, birth defects, and
developmental delays in humans 90. According to the
EPA, overall water quality is good in Anacortes, but metal,
microbiological, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and
pesticide pollutants have been found at some monitoring
stations 91. The latest water quality report published by
the DOE in 2011 found that surface water runoff is the
greatest source of pollution in Puget Sound’s urban bays.
Surface water runoff results when impermeable surfaces
prevent water from infiltrating into the ground. In urban
areas like Anacortes, impermeable surfaces such as
roads, sidewalks, and parking lots shed stormwater.
This stormwater must be drained and treated or else it
can lead to flooding, erosion, and increases in pollution
in downstream aquatic ecosystems. Soil composition in
Anacortes also impacts runoff volume; the soil along south
Commercial Avenue has somewhat poor drainage and can
infiltrate only a limited amount of stormwater 92,93.
While impermeable surfaces determine stormwater
runoff volumes, drainage infrastructure determines how
much stormwater can be treated before it is discharged
into local water bodies. The drainage system in Anacortes
is comprised of approximately 122 miles of stormwater
conveyance systems, 100 detention and/or treatment
systems, and 82 outfalls to marine waters, two of which are
combined sewage outfalls (CSOs) 94,95. Despite significant
improvements to stormwater treatment capacity, since
1997 there have been eight overflows where untreated
sewage and stormwater runoff were discharged into
Guemes Channel 96,97. In addition to the CSOs, small
48
municipal-separate storm sewer systems allow the city
to discharge stormwater runoff from municipal drainage
systems into streams, rivers, and lakes 95,97.
Proposed Changes
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan would reduce
the amount of impermeable surfaces along the corridor by
installing planted medians and vegetative buffers in areas
that are currently paved roadway. This vegetation would
also serve as green stormwater infrastructure which would
naturally reduce and treat runoff from south Commercial
Avenue. Vegetation can reduce stormwater runoff by
capturing and storing rainfall in the canopy and releasing
water into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration.
It also helps to slow down and temporarily store runoff,
which further promotes infiltration, and decreases
flooding and erosion downstream 98. Pollutants in water
can also be taken up by vegetation in forms of nutrients
and transformed into less harmful substances.
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan proposes
Silva Cells to support tree growth and provide water
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | WATER QUALITY
treatment as well as bioretention swales and bioretention
hybrid swales to support vegetation and water treatment.
These options are deployed along the corridor depending
on the amount of runoff and the type of vegetation
proposed for a given location. As the plan progresses,
the city may want to consider additional stormwater
management methods such as infiltration vaults. These
underground chambers absorb the immediate volume of
stormwater and then allow the water to be absorbed into
the ground over time, in time for the next rain event 99.
Runoff may also be reduced through the use of pervious
concrete on sidewalks, green roofs, or pervious pavers
in parking area, although the potential for these may be
limited by the underlying soil permeability.
Image EV.8 Example of a Bioretention Facility
Courtesy of Alta Corridor Plan
Health Impacts
Stormwater runoff from roads, parking lots, and other
paved surfaces can contain significant concentrations
of copper, zinc, and lead, which can have toxic effects
in humans 100. It can also contain nitrogen, phosphorus,
oil, pesticides, and disease causing organisms 98. These
pollutants pose a major threat to water quality and are
linked to chronic and acute illnesses from exposure
through drinking water, eating seafood, and recreational
contact101. If water quality becomes bad enough to
warrant the closure of fishing or recreation areas, the
resulting economic stress may cause negative health
impacts among individuals whose livelihoods depend
on the fishing or tourism industries. Improper grading
of impervious surfaces could lead to unwanted pooling
of stormwater, increasing potential breeding areas for
mosquitoes carrying disease such as West Nile virus 101.
By reducing stormwater runoff and increasing green
treatment of stormwater the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan has the potential to improve water quality
and the associated health outcomes in Anacortes.
49
GREEN SPACE
Existing Conditions
The Anacortes Parks and Recreation Department operates
a total of 23 green spaces, including the trail, playgrounds
and various sports field 102. In addition to that, 14 parks,
operated by other entities are also part of the Anacortes
green space. In their 2009 publication, the department
assesses the quantities and standards of the park, relating
them to the National Recreation and Parks Association’s
(NRPA) guidelines for community green space and parks
facilities, including sports fields and other recreational
facilities. While Anacortes does not aim to meet the
standards set forth by the NRPA, it does provide some
framework to assess the current conditions.
The Parks and Recreation Department found that in 2009
most standards are met or are currently in the process of
being met, through construction of new facilities, except
for off-leash dog areas, picnic shelters and play structures
102
. The standards for smooth surfaced walking paths are
almost met, and the plan suggests to connect a multi-use
trail along an existing park area to the Tommy Thompson
trail 102. It further recommends to support and encourage
bicycling, by allowing residents and visitors to use all
facilities for biking and walking.
The publication outlines a recommendation for enhancing
the connection between parks and open spaces 102. It
does not mention the current network and its connective
qualities. The city focuses on three types of connections;
forest land nature trails, city-wide trails and loop trail
systems 102. The changes being made to the south
Commercial Avenue corridor focuses on city-wide trails
and sidewalk connectivity.
Proposed Changes
has some greenery elements, such as vegetation with
trees and maritime flora, along the street, it is the service
of providing a stronger connection to open space and
parks that has the greatest health impacts. Having more
50
access to parks has the opportunity to allow others to
partake in physical and social activity. This is especially
important for vulnerable groups in Anacortes as there
are a number of senior retirement communities (i.e.
Cap Sante Court Retirement Community), schools, and
health centers within close proximity to the proposed
development. This project recognizes access by providing
an increased number of smooth walking surfaces,
sidewalks with greenery that is aesthetically pleasing, more
bike infrastructure and an increased number of crossings,
facilitating the access to different areas of the city, across
the corridor, and potentially to more open spaces, parks
and recreational facilities. The direct connection to
trails, such as the Tommy Thompson is not considered.
Furthermore, the addition of parklets provides space for
citizens to stop and enjoy the corridor, and with added
greenery is an important asset to the streetscape and
overall recreational quality of the corridor. The addition
of vegetation has positive health implications. Vegetation
elements are addressed in different forms throughout
different design concepts in varying degrees of density
and types.
Health Impacts
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan allows more
people access to opportunities for green space and
facilitates connections to parks. In light of green space,
parks provide opportunities for physical and social activity
and can provide stress relief.
Parks and green space have a positive effect on health.
Parks provide opportunities for all to enjoy physical and
social activity and can provide stress relief and prevent
obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some
cancers 103. Humpel, Owen, and Leslie (2002) in a literature
review, reported that greater physical activity was related
to accessibility of a cycle path as one of many important
indicators 104. The connection to the Tommy Thompson
Trail is not fully considered in the plan, and in order to
obtain the highest possible health benefit, this should
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | GREEN SPACE
Figure EV.9 Proposed Green Infrastructure
Courtesy of Alta Corridor Plan
be included, to ensure better connectivity and access for
both residents and visitors.
The health of certain vulnerable populations should
especially be addressed. These vulnerable populations
include young, elderly, and “in-recovery” (see glossary)
populations of who often have the greatest restrictions
in mobility; therefore, nearby parks, and the appropriate
modes to reach them, are of critical importance 103. While
the plan does not include parks, except for the parklets, it
does aim to increase connectivity and access to the open
and green areas, which can potentially be used by these
vulnerable populations, to the benefit of their health.
Health Impacts: Schools
The rate of prevalence of being overweight in children
has nearly tripled in the past few decades 105. Having
natural environments nearby has been shown to enhance
children’s psychological and behavioral health 106,107.
Access to park space also allows for regular physical activity
reduces depression, improves mood, and enhances
cognitive functioning among children 108,109.
Health Impacts: Hospitals
A ten-year study of patients recovering from surgery
showed that patients with a view of trees had shorter
hospitalizations (8.0 days compared 8.7) 110. This study
highlights the health benefit of green space (either visually
or physically accessible), among “in-recovery” populations.
Creating connections and access to green spaces along
the south Commercial Avenue corridor could have a
similar impact on convalescing patients, and seniors in
long and short term care facilities.
51
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Support the proposed lane width reductions and
• When zoning on the corridor, consider restricting the
vertical vegetative buffers for their potential to reduce
vehicle speed and resulting noise.
location, use, or hours of patios to reduce the impact
of noise on schools, medical care providers, places of
worship, and housing.
• Building a separate cycling lane where there is ample
distance between cyclists and traffics, with vegetation
incorporated into barriers, can potentially minimize
the degree of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants
among cyclists. Tree canopies in between the cycling
lane and traffic should be implemented to protect
cyclists from potential hazardous vehicle emissions.
• Consider incorporating other methods for stormwater
• Ample vegetation barriers are required to help reduce
to allow residents and visitors alike easy access to
recreational areas. This could be on 22nd Avenue.
and remove pollutants from stormwater runoff and
improve water quality to meet the requirement of
stormwater quality. The Silva Cell facility is recommended
to provide powerful on-site stormwater management.
Maintain use of continuous stretches of street trees
to encourage physical activity and especially combat
health issues associated with overheating.
• Take advantage of the opportunity to place more
greenery in the proposed parklets and pedestrian
activation zones. Consider locating greenery in the
hospital pedestrian activation zone so that it is visible
from patient windows. In a similar vein, ensure and
perhaps maximize the amount of greenery allowed in
pedestrian activation zone on 17th Avenue - a major
gateway to Anacortes schools for children.
• Maintain use of continuous stretches of street trees
to encourage physical activity and especially combat
health issues associated with overheating.
• Ensure plants used in planters and Silva cells are
accessible to the public visually in order to facilitate
physical activity and mental health.
• Support for the use of vegetated parklets, close to
facilities of interest such as cafes and restaurants.
52
management into the implement of green stormwater
infrastructure, like the application of infiltration vaults
and increasing the use of pervious pavers in parking
area.
• Ensure connection to the Tommy Thompson Trail,
53
54
Land Use & Public Space Health Logic Model
Figure L.10 Land use and public spaces
health logic model
Source: EnvH/UrbDP 536 Land Use Team
LAND USE &
PUBLIC SPACE
This chapter assesses the proposed south Commercial
Avenue Corridor Plan in terms of its potential health
impacts related to public places and land use, both within
the right of way and in the surrounding areas. Here, public
spaces are defined as those areas in the right of way that are
directly addressed through the south Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan. One of the most compelling elements of the
proposed plan is its interest in bringing public life to the
streets of Anacortes. Although the right of way comprises
between 25 to 35 percent of all land in American cities, it
largely serves only limited purposes as currently designed:
to facilitate movement and storage of automobiles 111. The
south Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan emphasizes the
multifunctional potential of south Commercial Avenue to
be a setting for social and commercial interaction, and not
exclusively for vehicle movement. This has a number of
implications for health.
This chapter outlines the existing conditions of public
spaces and land use along south Commercial Avenue
and summarizes proposed changes relevant to land
use. This chapter also discusses the specific elements
CHAPTER SECTIONS
• Corridor Streetscape
• Hospital Overlay
• Land Use
• Recommendations
of the preferred corridor plan that address how the
corridor improvements will interact with the surrounding
commercial and institutional context in terms of land
use including: The Pedestrian Activation Zones and the
Hospital Overlay District. The chapter concludes with a list
of related recommendations to improve health outcomes.
This proposed corridor plan has a number of implications
for health specifically related to its impact on public spaces
and land use in the area, including increasing physical
activity, reducing injury, reducing stress, and increasing
social cohesion, among others. The logic model (Figure
L.10) highlights these relationships.
55
CORRIDOR STREETSCAPE
Existing Conditions
Proposed Changes
Currently, south Commercial Avenue is designed with a
focus on motor vehicular traffic. Wide intersections and
large parking lots cater to people traveling in vehicles
rather than by bicycle or on foot. Furthermore, the wide
lanes increase the perception of how big the street
is and results in people driving faster 112. This in turn
discourages pedestrians and cyclists from using the
street. Furthermore, obstacles in the sidewalk, lack of
connections in the sidewalk network, and a large number
of curb cuts all discourage residents and visitors from
walking. Activation on the street is limited, with little
commercial activity spillover onto the sidewalk, and no
streetscape elements to encourage lingering. The city of
Anacortes has conducted an inventory of local bike and
pedestrian corridors, amenities, and attractions. The
results showed that there is a significant lack of pedestrian
facilities such as restrooms, bike racks, off-street bike
lanes, benches, and drinking fountains located along the
south Commercial Avenue corridor 61. Please see Map L.9
of the Intra Urban Bike-Pedestrian Pathways.
will create three Pedestrian Activation Zones along
the corridor, in addition to the enhancements that are
planned for the blocks surrounding the zones. According
to Alta Planning + Design, the goal of the Pedestrian
Activation Zones are to provide space that encourages
pedestrian friendly activities and mixing, to foster
economic growth, and physical activity. Within the three
separated Pedestrian Activation Zones there is a focus on
amenities that aim to increase pedestrian comfort level
and encourage pedestrian traffic. The main differences
between the proposal for these three sections of south
Commercial Avenue and the rest of the corridor are the
width of the travel lanes, the width of the sidewalk, width
of the planted buffer between vehicle lanes and bicycle
lanes, the presence of a median, and the removal of onstreet parking.
Importantly, the corridor plan identified several
opportunities to increase green space along the corridor,
particularly within the Pedestrian Activation Zones. First,
Map L.9
Bike-Pedestrian Corridors of
Anacortes, WA
Source: City of Anacortes
GIS Dept.
56
LAND USE & PUBLIC SPACE | CORRIDOR STREETSCAPE
within the Pedestrian Activation Zones the corridor plan
includes 8’ planting zones between the car lanes and
bike lanes and mid-block planted medians. Second, the
corridor plan identifies opportunities to develop pocket
parks along the corridor, creating additional small urban
green spaces. Third, this South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan includes the creation of a continuous tree
canopy along the corridor, comprised of species that are
appropriately sized and aesthetically pleasing. These trees
would be planted in the buffer zone between vehicles and
bicycles in the Pedestrian Activation Zones and between
the sidewalk and bicycle lanes throughout the rest of the
corridor.
Health Impacts
This section discusses the potential health impacts of each
Pedestrian Activation Zone design element in redeveloping
this corridor and other streetscape improvements
included both within these zones and throughout the
corridor. These health impacts are organized by most
immediate to more-long term: Health Impacts of Design
Features, Physical Activity Health Impacts, and Social
Cohesion Health Impacts. While the design features will
bring about immediate improvements to the street,
the amount of health impact related to physical activity
or social cohesion is dependent on the success of the
corridor project to create active public spaces.
Health Impacts of Design Features
This proposed use of space in the 80’ right of way within
the Pedestrian Activation Zones and the corridor as a
whole—specifically the buffers, the addition of green
space, the planting of street trees, and the addition of
street furniture—has the potential for several important
health benefits as shown in Figure L.17.
Landscape Buffers
The planted buffers specified in the south Commercial
Avenue Corridor Plan can add both horizontal and vertical
barriers. Horizontal separation between bikes and cars
provides important protection for cyclists, and can reduce
the rate of injuries due to vehicle-bicycle collisions 113.
Within the Pedestrian Activation Zones, this buffer will
include planted trees creating a taller buffer, while along
the corridor it is comprised of lower vegetation. A vertical
barrier between transportation modes, in this case
between bikes and cars, can increase drivers’ perception
of the edge of the road, reduce driving speeds, and
increase the perception of safety 114. This type of barrier
not only changes perception, but has also been shown to
improve safety performance of the roadway 115. Improving
the safety, attractiveness, and comfort of biking within
these zones can result in increased use of the bikeway
and thus increases in physical activity. While wide planted
barriers separate bicycles from cars, smaller barriers
separate bicycles from pedestrians within the Pedestrian
Activation Zones. Within the Pedestrian Activation Zones,
only 6 inches separates these two modes of active
transportation. While light posts may be added to this
strip to vertically separate the two lanes, these posts may
obstruct the sidewalk.
Green Space
Increased exposure to green space has a variety of
potential health effects. The scientific literature indicates
that increased exposure to green space is associated
with improved mental health 116, reduced cardiovascular
disease mortality 116,117, and reduced overall mortality
118,119
. Streetscape greenery specifically is associated with
improved self-reported health 120.
Tree Canopy
These plantings have the potential to provide shade and
thus reduce both sun and heat exposure. Providing shade
and places to sit in the shade resulting from this new tree
canopy offers particular benefits for more vulnerable
populations, such as elderly individuals. Additionally,
this tree canopy is an element of streetscape greenery,
which, as previously mentioned, has been associated with
perceived general and mental health 121.
57
LAND USE & PUBLIC SPACE | CORRIDOR STREETSCAPE
Street Furniture
The Corridor Plan includes a proposal for street furniture,
and a study of US communities found that street furniture
was associated with increased rates of walking 122. Benches
are especially important for individuals who are not able to
walk long distances without resting, and the World Health
Organization’s Age Friendly Cities checklist includes a
requirement for outdoor seating 123. Twenty-three percent
of Anacortes residents were 65 or more years of age as
of 2014 20 and the population growth anticipated by the
city’s Comprehensive Plan may bring residents with young
children. Including benches and drinking water fountains
will help the Pedestrian Activation Zones encourage
physical activity among all age groups and mobility levels.
Consolidation of curb cuts
Another aspect of the proposal that will encourage walking
along the entire corridor is the consolidation of vehicular
curb cuts where possible. A vehicular curb cut is a driveway
or other opening that allows a vehicle to access public or
private property. By allowing vehicles to cross sidewalks,
vehicular curb cuts add opportunities for pedestrianvehicle crashes and make sidewalks less welcoming
to pedestrians. Currently there are approximately 24
vehicular curb cuts in the proposed Pedestrian Activation
Zones and many more outside the zones, and on some
blocks more area is given to driveways than to sidewalks.
Reducing the number of vehicular curb cuts will reduce
the number of locations for potential pedestrian-vehicle
conflicts and make the sidewalk more pedestrian friendly.
Health Impacts of Design Features: Physical
Activity
One significant way the corridor enhancements and
especially the Pedestrian Activation Zones will impact
health in Anacortes is through its encouragement of
physical activity. Regular physical activity has been shown
to improve health outcomes in as diverse conditions as
musculoskeletal diseases, cardiovascular diseases, type 2
diabetes, pulmonary diseases, and neurological diseases
. The American Heart Association recommends adults
67
58
engage in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate
physical activity such as walking 124, and pedestrianoriented streetscapes can help Anacortes residents meet
this target. As noted above, there are several aspects of
the streetscape and Pedestrian Activation Zones that may
encourage physical activity, including the installation of
street furniture and the consolidation of curb cuts.
Health Impacts of Design Features: Social Cohesion
Proposed improvements to the streetscape include: the
addition of seating such as benches, tables and chairs in
the Pedestrian Activation Zones; more attractive street
lighting; public art; pocket parks and parklets; and trees
and greenery. The south Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan expects that through this “activation of the public
realm,” the area will experience “enhanced social cohesion
125
”. Together, these elements create a streetscape that
promotes social interaction and, in turn, social cohesion
126
. The inclusion of seating in the Pedestrian Activation
Zones invites people to linger and interact, either
through intentionally planned meetings or casual ones.
Streetscape greenery—such as the tree canopy, pocket
park, and buffers—has also been shown to be associated
with perceived social cohesion 121. Well-selected greenery,
public art and improved street lighting will improve the
attractiveness of the streetscape, which has been found
to be associated with a sense of community and place
attachment, which are both dimensions of social cohesion
. The fact that the corridor plan emphasizes the
installation of planting zones as an opportunity to highlight
Anacortes’ marine character through plantings and/or
artwork, points to the unique placemaking potential of this
project. By tying in the local history and character of the
town and its connection to the maritime industry, there
is the distinct opportunity to improve social cohesion and
social capital.
127
HOSPITAL OVERLAY
Existing Conditions
Map L.10 Current Island Hospital Campus Map
Source: Island Hospital
Island Hospital is located in the heart of Anacortes.
Running adjacent to the west side of south Commercial
Avenue, the hospital currently spans several blocks,
beginning just south of 26th Street and ending on the
south side of 24th Street. Island hospital is classified as
a public hospital district, which is defined as "communitycreated, governmental entities authorized by state law
to deliver health services—including but not limited to
acute hospital care—to district residents and others in
the district's’ service areas. Owned and governed by local
citizens, hospital districts tailor their services to meet
the unique needs of their individual communities 128”.
The hospital has been designed with the main entrance
located on 24th Street and the Emergency Room entrance
located on 26th Street. The hospital is surrounded by
surface parking lots containing roughly 680 parking spaces
129
. There is an emergency helipad located off of 24th
Street 130. There is an entrance into the hospital parking
lot from south Commercial Avenue, however this is not the
main point of entry, and the roadway (25th Street) dead
ends into the hospital campus 130. The hospital is located
in one of south Commercial Avenue’s superblocks, which
Alta Planning + Design defines as large blocks where the
street network is an incomplete grid 22. The hospital is a
key employer in Anacortes, employing over 700 individuals
and paying nearly 33 million dollars in wages and salaries
annually 129. With so many local individuals economically
reliant on the hospital, establishing a strong working
relationship between the City and Island Hospital is critical
to the future growth of the city. It will thus be important
to consider how south Commercial Avenue corridor
interacts with Island Hospital to maximize positive health
outcomes, while also not jeopardizing the functionality
of the hospital. For this reason, the health implications
of the proposed Hospital Overlay District, as it relates to
south Commercial Avenue corridor, should be considered
carefully, including: its connectivity to destinations other
than the hospital and its ancillary services, green spaces
for healing, and connections to the community. Please see
Map L.10 for a rendering of the existing hospital map.
Proposed Changes
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan does not
explicitly state changes pertaining to the hospital zone,
however, the 2016 Comprehensive Plan for the city has
a proposed hospital district overlay. The purpose of the
proposed hospital overlay is to provide for the coordinated
expansion of Island Hospital and medical support uses
in the immediate area, while minimizing the impacts on
the surrounding land uses 131. The overlay would allow
for medical land use and the development of ancillary
services, but the underlying proposed city zoning along the
corridor would also apply to the area 131. This would mean
that with the overlay, south Commercial Avenue could see
59
LAND USE & PUBLIC SPACE | HOSPITAL OVERLAY
an increased mixture of commercial, medical, and high
density residential over time. Island Hospital has applied
for an overlay that would span the entire block between
26th and 24th Streets. The proposed overlay would also
cross 26th Street and extend to the street frontage of
south Commercial Avenue. The overlay has been reviewed
by the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) who has
proposed an alternative overlay. Please see Map L.11
for a comparison of the hospital preferred vs community
preferred overlay. There have been concerns from local
residents that the overlay would disrupt thriving local
businesses (especially those located on south Commercial
Avenue), and reduce tax revenue for the city; because of
the hospital’s nonprofit, tax exempt status.
Map L.11 Comparison of the hospital vs community preferred
overlay Source: Anacortes, WA Comprehensive Plan Update,
March 2016
Health Impacts
In evaluating the South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan and its interactions with the proposed overlay, three
primary questions were raised. 1) Does the corridor plan as
proposed by Alta Planning + Design make considerations
for special traffic, and pedestrian needs in the proposed
hospital overlay district? 2) Does the proposed hospital
overlay work effectively with the Pedestrian Activation
Zones to further the Anacortes visions for destination
access, connectivity, and a health promoting environment?
3) What other special considerations about future hospital
expansion and the proposed Corridor Plan should be
evaluated for health impacts?
Key Pedestrian, Bike and Vehicle Considerations
Hospitals by their very nature are entities of activity,
and constant movement. Emergency vehicles delivering
patients can occur at any moment throughout a 24-hour
period, visitors to in-patients come and go, and patients
are discharged throughout the day. In addition to its
primary inpatient functions, the hospital also provides key
clinical and outpatient services that residents of Skagit
County may access with great frequency throughout any
given day. Increased growth within a hospital overlay over
time, has the potential to dramatically increase hospital
and pass through traffic volumes, as well as parking needs
60
. Study has shown that ambulances are at a greater risk
of collision while traveling with lights and sirens, traffic
confusion or failure of oncoming traffic to yield, as-wellas unsafe ambulance parking 133. In a study conducted by
FEMA, emergency vehicle crashes were most likely to occur
at intersections, from excessive roadway speeds or curves
134
. South Commercial Avenue has three intersections
within the proposed overlay. The road design is straight
and the corridor plan is designed with traffic calming
132
features, including narrowed lanes and raised crosswalks
running parallel to south Commercial Avenue. A typical
emergency vehicle is ten feet wide from mirror to mirror,
and requires space for non-emergency vehicles to yield
during an emergency response. Street redesign should
consider the impacts of narrowed streets on response/
delivery times, congestion, and complete blockage of
passage for emergency responders 135. The corridor plan
currently provides for 11 foot lanes in the overlay district,
which is the same in the Pedestrian Activation Zones.
There is a nine-foot median that could accommodate
emergency response vehicles (ERV) if it remains free of
planters. The Corridor Plan mentions the use of planted
medians in two of the three Pedestrian Activation Zones;
this should be carefully evaluated for its impact on ERVs
in areas with no shoulder for vehicle yielding. Consider
working with the Anacortes Engineering Department and
the Fire Department as the plan progresses to ensure that
medians and other traffic calming measure don’t hinder
ERV passage 136. The city should consider the benefits
that clear and appropriate modes of wayfinding can have
on traffic flow, connectivity throughout the corridor and
beyond. Wayfinding signs within the hospital overlay
should be designed to direct hospital visitors to the primary
entrance to reduce unnecessary traffic volumes along the
corridor and the amount of vehicles entering the south
Commercial Avenue entry at 25th Street. This redirection
could reduce traffic flows in and out of the parking lot
associated with the corridor’s Pedestrian Activation Zones,
which can reduce the risks of pedestrian, bike and vehicle
collisions.
Within the proposed hospital overlay, safety for
pedestrian crossings and access to the hospital is key. In
a study evaluating the link between the built environment,
pedestrian activity, and pedestrian-vehicle collisions
researchers found that mixed use and densification
zoning when combined with increases in public transit will
positively impact pedestrian activity, but without proper
planning will also increase pedestrian-vehicle collisions
137
. Importantly, major roadways, and arterials were found
to be exponentially associated with pedestrian-vehicle
collisions. The researchers argue for the expansion of
complete street designs and demonstrated that reducing
traffic volumes by 30%, and diverting unneeded traffic
could reduce pedestrian-vehicle collisions by 35%, and
would reduce overall risk of collisions by 50% 137. Research
has repeatedly shown that traffic speed, volume, and poor
pedestrian planning are strongly associated with negative
pedestrian outcomes in a collision 138. This further
supports the key features of the South Commercial
Avenue Corridor Plan including: complete street design
elements, incorporation of lighted crosswalks, the use of
Pedestrian Activation Zones as well as the city of Anacortes’
Comprehensive Plan land use goals as a positive impact
on health outcomes for Anacortes residents.
Study shows that public transit is positively associated with
physical activity 24. Currently, bus route 409 makes its one
stop along south Commercial Avenue north of the overlay
district at 18th Street and south Commercial Avenue.
Although outside of the scope of a street redesign, the
city of Anacortes should consider the positive impacts an
additional bus stop located within the proposed hospital
overlay could have on health. The addition of a bus stop on
each side of south Commercial Avenue within the overlay
would improve access to the hospital and surrounding
retail outlets. This is especially true for those that rely on
public transit such as seniors, those of low socioeconomic
status, or individuals who prefer to bike and walk as a main
mode of transportation 138.
Pedestrian Activation Zone and the Overlay: Key
Considerations
The Pedestrian Activation Zone proposed in the Corridor
Plan is located within the hospital overlay. According
to Alta Planning + Design, the goal of these zones is to
provide space that encourages pedestrian friendly
activities and mixing, to foster economic growth, and
physical activity. Research shows that access to transit,
improved pedestrian connectivity, and streets designed
for walkability are negatively associated with collision
injury 139. Seniors are at a significantly greater risk of fatal
injury in collision and street design that accommodates
61
this population could greatly reduce their involvement in
injuries 139. The hospital serves all ages, races, and incomes.
According to the National Institutes of Health, aging and
poor health can drastically change an individual’s ability to
drive safely 140,141. This aging changes vision, hearing, and
response times to potential collision with either emergency
vehicles, bikes, or pedestrians 140. The Corridor Plan is
designed with both vehicle and pedestrian scale lighting
located along the corridor. This lighting should take into
consideration the special needs of an aging population and
the frequent comings and goings of individuals including
staff, visitors and sick patients that may occur within the
proposed hospital overlay 141. If the current number of
proposed street lights does not support the needs of this
and other special populations within Anacortes, the city
should consider increasing the number of streetlights
in the hospital overlay district 142. Increasing street and
pedestrian lighting within the overlay also improves the
perceived safety of hospital employees whose schedule
may require night time travel 142.
In contemplating the overlay, future expansion of the
hospital, and the complete street design of the Corridor
Plan; connectivity to destinations other than the hospital
and its ancillary services should be evaluated. The hospital
overlay is proposed within one of the four superblocks
located along south Commercial Avenue. These
superblocks negatively impact pedestrian, bike and vehicle
travel through the corridor because they can create long
detours and undesirable lengths to reach destinations
by bike or foot. This has special implications for mobility
impaired pedestrians. Pedestrian resting stops, green
spaces for healing and connection to the community are
important aspects of hospital design 143. These concepts
also apply to complete street design.
Within the main blocks of the hospital there are two lots
designated for employees, one physician only lot, five
visitor lots and also on-street visitor parking located on
26th Street 130. There is some question about the amount
and location of the parking lots surrounding the hospital.
The entrance from south Commercial Avenue leads
62
into a visitor parking lot and has poor accommodation
for pedestrian and bike access from the main entrance
to south Commercial Avenue along this route. Since
the 25th street entrance provides open views of the
hospital it would seem a natural avenue of connection
to provide pedestrian access between the main corridor
and the hospital. This has the potential to improve overall
community connection, walkability, and economic access
to the businesses located on south Commercial Avenue.
This type of partnership between the hospital and the city
could be mutually beneficial because it provides quick bike
or pedestrian access for employees to meals and services,
and provides access to retail for visitors and patients,
without the need for car-use. This can reduce the risk of
collisions, unnecessary traffic volumes and increase the
use of active modes of travel. Please see Figure L.11 for a
rendering of the proposed future hospital expansion.
Island Hospital has limited green space within its
compound. With the exception of planted parking
strips located in parking lot dividers, there is no place
for patients, visitors or staff to interact with nature, no
obvious outdoor eating spaces or benches connecting
to the main corridor; which evidence shows to have a
direct effect on patient outcomes and personal mental
and physical wellbeing 110,144. In an interest of maintaining
a healthy workforce, and improving patient outcomes,
the hospital should consider the space between south
Commercial Avenue and the Main Hospital building as an
ideal location to develop a green connection between the
south Commercial Avenue and the hospital, furthering
the City of Anacortes’ vision for mixed use, connectivity,
green spaces, and economic growth. This should be taken
into consideration before the approval of the proposed
hospital overlay, and partnerships with the hospital, locally
impacted businesses, and the city should be fostered. To
improve the benefit of the corridor redesign, the City of
Anacortes should reconsider the overlay and its direct
connection to the main corridor. If the design of future
hospital expansion remains as planned there would be
significant main street frontage lost to parking lot and
medical services that most likely would not offer mixed use
Figure L.11 Rendering of Island Hospital’s envisioned
expansion design
Source: Anacortes Comprehensive Plan Updates (March,
2016)
and retail on the main floors 129,130. If the intent within the
Comprehensive Plan, and the proposed Corridor Plan is
to create an inviting, walkable Pedestrian Activation Zone;
the interaction with the overlay and its planned design
could have adverse economic and community cohesion
consequences, as well as reduce the effectiveness of the
Pedestrian Activation Zone as a health promoting zone for
walking and biking 22.
One possible way to accommodate existing businesses
is to establish development conditions that would allow
existing businesses guaranteed retail space on the
ground floor of proposed medical buildings. This could
promote mixed use along the Avenue, maintain the
location and success of long-standing businesses, and
allow the hospital to expand in a predictable manner that
is beneficial to the hospital and the residents of Anacortes.
It would also provide an additional community gathering
space and destination which is positively associated with
active transportation 145.
Providing a bike and pedestrian environment is part of
the challenge of promoting a healthy community, but
understanding what other factors influence car-use
behaviors is essential for the long term success of the
south Commercial Avenue redesign. In a study evaluating
factors which influence car use in bike friendly cities,
commuting distance, and free workplace parking were
strongly associated with increased vehicle use 146. Car
availability and education were also identified as having a
strong influence on an individual’s car-use behaviors 146.
The hospital provides free parking in several locations to
its employees. To promote active modes of commuting to
and from work (walking and biking), the hospital should
consider reducing the number of available spots, to
support the efforts of the Pedestrian Activation Zones
(lack of on-street parking), charging a nominal fee for
employee spaces, or providing financial incentive for
bike commuters. These methods have been positively
associated with improving an individual’s motivation for
active modes of transportation for work commute 146.
63
LAND USE
Existing Conditions
Since the city’s incorporation in 1891, land use in
Anacortes was dominated by industrial uses such as
lumber, fishing, fish processing, and farming. With the
exception of the introduction of oil refineries in the 1950s,
land use trends in Anacortes largely shifted away from
industrial use to more commercial, tourism, residential
and retirement housing 19. The City of Anacortes released
the proposed 2016 Comprehensive Plan, which outlines
future plans for the city including land use and zoning
recommendations. The key focus of the land use element
is described as planning that allows the city to develop
"land use capacity to meet projected growth, desired land
use patterns, community design, historic preservation,
resource protection, community gathering spaces, healthy
community provisions, regional coordination, and a focus
on special planning areas." This includes planning for a
Complete Street design along south Commercial Avenue
and consideration of a hospital overlay 131. The properties
along the south Commercial Avenue corridor are zoned
“C,” as defined to the right.
The majority of the land along the corridor is used
for commercial purposes, including grocery, retail,
gas, automotive, and restaurant. Currently, only 2% of
Anacortes’ land is comprised of multi-family residential
development, the majority of which is located near
south Commercial Avenue, compared to 24% of all land
devoted to single family housing 131. For a few blocks in
each direction of south Commercial Avenue, the east-west
intersecting streets are zoned for high density residential
use (R4, R4A & R4B).
Over the next 20 years (2016 to 2036), Anacortes has a
targeted growth of 5,910 new residents and 2,071 new
jobs within the city 131. This equates to 296 new residents
and 104 new jobs each year within that timeframe. To
accommodate this growth, the city will allow up to 310 new
housing units on the land surrounding south Commercial
Avenue within the Commercial zoning designation. Height
limits are being increased from 40 feet to 50 feet (with
64
Table L.9 Commercial Zoning (C) Description (Anacortes
Comprehensive Plan 2016 (Draft), 2015 and Chapter 17.24 of
Anacortes Municipal Code)
Purpose
This designation provides for a wide variety
of general service and retail commercial uses,
and mixed-uses that serves local and regional
residents and the traveling public.
Allowed uses and
density
A wide variety of general service and retail
commercial, and professional office uses. Multifamily uses are encouraged on upper floors
along South Commercial Avenue and allowed
on side streets. Conditional uses include small
scale manufacturing, regional scale retail
uses, veterinary and medical clinics, hospitals,
and limited outdoor storage uses. New residential uses must feature transit-supportive
densities.
Maximum density None
Maximum land
coverage
50%
Maximum building height
40 feet
Building requirements (select list)
• If a building wall is within twenty feet of
a sidewalk, plaza, courtyard, or similar
pedestrian area, it shall incorporate
human-scale elements such as windows,
arcades, lower roof overhangs, small-scale
textural and color changes, moldings, balconies, projecting and recessed elements,
doorways, landscaped areas, trellises,
artwork and/or other small-scale architectural features so that people will not be
walking past large blank wall surfaces.
• If a building exceeds thirty feet in height,
its apparent height shall be modulated
wherever it is within ten feet of a sidewalk,
plaza, courtyard, or similar pedestrian
area, by adding shorter (twenty feet or
less) building elements such as a wing
of the building, arcade, trellis, lower roof
overhang, horizontal projection at least
two feet deep, awning, balcony or other
architectural feature to reduce the apparent height to a more human scale.
• Primary building entrances shall be clearly
visible from streets, pedestrian ways and
parking areas, with recessed or covered
entrance areas to protect people from
the rain. Projects shall be designed to
facilitate pedestrian access, with pedestrian walkways connecting building entrances to adjacent public ways in locations
which provide access to pedestrian street
crossings.
LAND USE & PUBLIC SPACE | LAND USE
a potential for up to 65 feet) along the corridor, and
single purpose residential housing will be allowed along
side streets. Clearly, this corridor plays a crucial role in
the city’s plans to accommodate growth in the future, so
it is fitting that the city would want to redevelop south
Commercial Avenue to serve future residents in a manner
that aligns with broader goals and policies outlined in the
Comprehensive Plan. This in turn may spur and encourage
the type of development that current land use regulation
is encouraging—high density and mixed use—but not
seeing redeveloped in reality.
Proposed Changes
Land use planning and zoning fall outside of the scope
of the proposed South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan, and as such, no directly relevant changes have
been proposed. The city of Anacortes has updated its
2016 Comprehensive Plan, which addresses land use
planning, as well as visions for the corridor. Because of
this relationship it is appropriate to perform an impact
assessment on land use along the corridor.
Health Impacts
Transportation and land use planning are inextricably
linked 24. As such, the development of plans or policies
for one is not complete without also recognizing the
implications and impacts on the other. How any particular
piece of land is used affects what demands there will
be to access, and the type of quality of transportation
infrastructure that exists in any given place impacts what
types of uses can appropriately accommodated on the
surrounding area. As such, while this HIA focuses on the
health impacts associated with proposed transportation
infrastructure investments, it is still important to note its
relationship to land use decisions in Anacortes.
Land use planning occurs at the local level, and involves
developing policies to guide where future development
will be accommodated within city limits. This gives cities
the power to encourage development and density in an
organized manner. Land use planning should be considered
in tandem with transportation and infrastructure planning
to ensure infrastructure investments are appropriately
sized to meet the needs of the surrounding land uses.
Land use planning ensures that decisions made at the
most micro-level (e.g., parcel) align with city-, county-,
and statewide goals. The Washington State Growth
Management Act has established a framework for robust
comprehensive planning so that cities can take into
account land use, transportation, and infrastructure needs
in the same planning process. As a process and product,
comprehensive planning allows cities to be organized and
forward thinking on where and how the city expands.
Health Impacts of Land Use: Physical Activity
There is a wealth of evidence that land use impacts
physical activity. Studies in the US, Europe, and Japan have
found that car travel is lower in dense neighborhoods with
a mix of uses 58. Numerous other studies show evidence
that mixed land use, street connectivity, residential
density, and destinations within a half mile of each other
are connected to physical activity 24. This relationship
also applies to older adults. A UK study found active trips
more likely among adults 70 or older when eight or more
destinations are nearby 147 and a study in Vancouver found
that key destinations for older adults are grocery stores,
restaurants, malls/marketplaces, and others’ homes.
The Vancouver study suggests that the combination of
walkable neighborhoods and attractive destinations may
help older adults achieve health benefits through physical
activity 148.
The World Health Organization released a “Global AgeFriendly Cities” guide that recognizes the role the built
environment and land use play in supporting physical
activity for all ages and mobility levels 149. The guide
recommends situating services together, locating venues
for events and activities conveniently, ensuring housing is
close to services, and ensuring buildings are accessible in
order to make a location age-friendly.
65
Building form also impacts walkability, and changes in
zoning represent an opportunity to impact form. Currently
the depth of building setbacks on south Commercial Avenue
varies significantly. The Urban Land Institute reports that
large building setbacks destroy the pedestrian-oriented
character of a street, and that large variations in setbacks
detract from the enclosure of the street as a pedestrian
space 150. Standardizing and minimizing setbacks as
buildings turn over may make the street more pedestrian
friendly and encourage physical activity.
Ultimately, the more residential density that is allowed
under the zoning code or even incentivized by the city
along this corridor, the more impact the South Commercial
Avenue Corridor Plan will have on health impacts. To realize
the positive health outcomes associated with physical
activity and social cohesion, people need to use the space.
If more residents will live directly on or near this corridor,
they will help to activate the space, hopefully then leading
to increased vibrancy and attractiveness of the pedestrian
area for others from surrounding areas to enjoy. The
critical path to making this happen is to ensure that land
use regulations allow for and encourage appropriate
uses along south Commercial Avenue. The city should
be looking to add more housing and commercial activity
that is designed to engage directly with the sidewalk.
Below is a table of land use goals outlined in the 2016
Anacortes Comprehensive Plan Draft that are relevant to
Overall, the proposed Corridor Plan would either directly
positively impact these goals and policies or facilitate
them to occur more easily. Many of the city’s land use
policies are related to increasing density and developing
mixed-use places. Through the comprehensive planning
process, those who participated emphasized their interest
in creating environments that focus on human-scaled
design, inviting pedestrian access, and more public space
in the form of informal gathering spaces, which are all
addressed in the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan.
Table L.10 2016 Anacortes Comprehensive Plan Land Use Goals and Policies That Are Addressed through Proposed Plan for
South Commercial Avenue
66
LU-2. Community
Design. Promote
compatible pedestrianoriented development
that respects Anacortes’
historic character and
small town scale.
Policy LU-2.2. Design public facilities to support and strengthen Anacortes’ community
character and identity.
Goal LU-5. Community
Gathering Space.
Preserve and develop
inviting and distinctive
gathering spaces, with
the greatest emphasis
in Downtown and
commercial areas.
Policy LU-5.2. Adopt development regulations that encourage the integration of usable
public open space in commercial and mixed-use areas.
Recognize that the character of public rights-of-way play a role in determining community
character. Wherever feasible, promote complete streets and incorporate streetscape
improvements, such as wayfinding signs, lighting, public art, enhanced landscaping and
street furniture, to enhance community character.
Policy LU-5.4. Pursue strategic public/private partnerships with large developments to
leverage high quality public space integrated with new development.
Goal LU-6. Residential
uses. Preserve and
enhance the quality,
character and function
of Anacortes' residential
neighborhoods.
Policy LU-6.2. Protect the character of single family neighborhoods by focusing higher
intensity land uses close to commercial and community services and transit.
Policy LU-6.4. Adopt design standards for new multifamily development to promote
neighborhood compatibility, enhance the livability of new housing, and enhance the
character of residential and mixed-use areas.
Key concepts to emphasize in the design standards:
• Emphasize pedestrian oriented building frontages;
• Emphasize facade articulation consistent with neighborhood scale;
• Integrate high quality durable building materials and human scaled detailing;
• Provide for usable open space,
• Provide compatible site edges and sensitive service area design, and
• Provide for vehicular access and storage while minimizing visual and safety impacts
of vehicles.
Policy LU-6.6. Explore the development of zoning incentives to help meet housing
diversity and affordability goals.
Examples could include residential density bonuses, variations in allowed housing type,
or flexibility in regulations, if a proposal meets community goals for affordable, senior,
size-limited or other types of innovative housing. If not permitted outright or through
discretionary review processes, consider providing for these incentives through pilot
programs or other innovative measures.
Goal LU-7. Downtown
and South Commercial
Avenue.
Enhance the character
and economic vitality of
Downtown and the South
Commercial Avenue
corridor.
Policy LU-7.2. Strengthen the visual appearance and economic vitality of South
Commercial Avenue.
A. Maintain and strengthen function of corridor for retail and commercial service uses.
B. Encourage residential development on side streets and in the form of mixed-use
buildings (housing over shops) complementary to retail/service uses.
C. Craft and apply form-based design standards for South Commercial Avenue:
Key concepts to emphasize in the design standards:
•
Provide for pedestrian-friendly building frontages;
•
Promote facade massing and articulation that reinforces Anacortes’ character and
scale;
•
Integrate high quality durable building materials and human scaled detailing;
67
•
Encourage the integration of public space and amenities associated with nonresidential uses;
•
Emphasize landscaping elements as a major character defining feature of the
corridor;
•
Provide compatible site edges and sensitive service area design; and
•
Locate and design off-street parking to minimize negative visual impacts
to South Commercial Avenue.
D. Design, implement, and maintain streetscape improvements to:
Goal LU-10. Healthy
Communities. Promote
land use and community
design that encourages
healthy living and good
connectivity between
compatible uses
•
Enhance the visual appearance of the corridor and character/identity of the city;
•
Promote private investment in the corridor; and
•
Enhance and promote non-motorized access and transit use.
Policy LU-10.1. Adopt development regulations that facilitate a complementary mix of
uses within mixed-use centers that encourage more walking and bicycling between
uses.
Policy LU-10.2. Adopt design provisions that provide for safe and attractive nonmotorized connectivity between uses and amenities, with the frequency of connections
are commensurate with the envisioned intensity of land uses (i.e., housing,
employment, community services, and amenities).
Policy LU-10.3. Adopt development regulations that encourage the integration of
recreational space with multifamily development.
Policy LU-10.4. Integrate public recreational amenities accessible to all Anacortes
residents, workers, and visitors, with highest priority on locations, facilities, and activities
that best serve the community.
Policy LU-10.5. Increase access to health foods by encouraging the location of fresh
food markets and community food gardens in close proximity to multifamily uses and
transit facilities through zoning and business regulations.
Ultimately, the Corridor Plan reflects many of the goals
and policies outlined in the city’s Comprehensive Plan
related to land use. While not directly a land use project,
this corridor project will have significant impacts on land
use in Anacortes. As currently proposed, the project would
allow for the city to make significant strides and progress
68
in realizing a variety of land use goals identified by the city.
This Corridor Plan supports the city’s documented interest
and efforts to develop an environment that is humanscaled and pedestrian-friendly.
RECOMMENDATION
• Support implementation of horizontal buffer zones
• Consider installation of drinking water fountains in
separating motorized vehicles from bicycles and
separating bicycles from pedestrians along entire
corridor.
• Consider installing age-friendly sidewalks by using non-
• Support creating green space in buffers and medians.
• Support planting trees in the buffer zones and along
corridor sidewalks for continuous tree canopy, to
provide shade and reduce heat and sun exposure.
Pedestrian Activation Zones to further support physical
activity for pedestrians and bicyclists.
slip paving in the Pedestrian Activation Zones to reduce
the risk of falls among older or less mobile pedestrians.
• Consider a modular design allowing for future
to encourage physical activity among people of all ages
and mobility levels.
installation of additional visual or physical separations
between bike lanes and pedestrian walkways. As
usages increases, separation may become necessary
to minimize the risk of bike-pedestrian crashes and
reduce pedestrian stress.
• Support opportunities for public art integration with
• When possible, consider alternative placement for
• Support proposed street furniture, especially benches,
streetscape.
• Support the proposed consolidation of vehicular curb
cuts wherever possible.
• Support mitigating the negative impact of vehicular curb
cuts by maintaining the elevation, slope, and physical
appearance of the sidewalk across the driveway to
indicate that the area is primarily a pedestrian travel
zone.
• Support the proposed completion of missing sidewalks
to increase connectivity to south Commercial Avenue.
• Support the proposed complete street design of the
Corridor Plan as providing positive long term economic,
and health outcomes for the area surrounding the
hospital.
• Support the proposed lane width and the Corridor
Plan’s consideration of EMVs.
• Support the Corridor Plan’s use of both street and
pedestrian lighting within the hospital overlay.
• Support use of RRFB crosswalks within the overlay.
street lighting to limit sidewalk obstruction.
• More clearly articulate how this new street design will
interact with existing and future transit in the area.
• Consider sharing this document with the hospital so that
they can think about parking reduction to encourage
healthy modes of transportation as a main method of
commute for employees.
• Consider installing vehicle and pedestrian traffic signals
that link directly to the main walkways to the hospital
campus. Consider direct crossings from public transit
stops throughout the overlay area.
• Consider additional street and pedestrian lighting to
accommodate for the frequent comings and goings of
both hospital and ancillary service staff, and patrons.
Consideration for the special nature of the aging
population in determining sufficient light volumes for
roadway and sidewalks is recommended.
• Consider utilizing sound barriers and buffering
to protect patients, surrounding commercial and
residential properties from roadway and construction
noise as the plan progresses.
69
LAND USE & PUBLIC SPACE | RECOMMENDATIONS
• Consider reducing speed limits and providing well lit
crosswalks to reduce the negative impacts of traffic
confusion from non-residents.
• Evaluate existing hospital and destination wayfinding
within the proposed overlay and ensure that the design
and volume remains adequate for seasonal traffic
volumes, expanding hospital services and increased
density along south Commercial Avenue.
• Encourage reevaluation of the economic and health
impacts associated with the hospital overlay boundary
extending to the south Commercial Avenue street
frontage. Foster relationships between the city and
the hospital that encourages hospital expansion and
design incorporating green space, improving pedestrian
connection between the hospital and the corridor
via the 25th Street entrance and preserving the local
livelihoods of long-established businesses within the
proposed overlay district.
• Recommend evaluation of yield methods for non-EMV
vehicles and the impacts that planted medians, when
combined with reduced road widths may have on
response times, collisions, and roadway blockage.
• Consider a HAWK beacon (see glossary) located at 25th
Street. Consider the future addition of a bus stop at this
location.
LAND USE POLICY
The City of Anacortes should consider the following land
use policies to maximize the health benefits of the South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan.
Consider adopting street frontage requirements similar to
those adopted for the Central Business District (outlined
in 17.20.130 of Anacortes Municipal Code); these or
similar requirements should be considered for all new
development in at least the Pedestrian Activation Zones,
if not the entire corridor.
70
Establish specific land use policies for the Pedestrian
Activation Zones that clearly outline the goals for these
areas, similar to what has been done for the Central
Business District (outlined in 17.20.130 of Anacortes
Municipal Code). For instance, look into discouraging any
future uses that:
• “Disrupt pedestrian/shopper circulation patterns;
• Create pedestrian safety hazards or nuisances;
• Lessen the attraction of the [Pedestrian Activation
Zone] as [a retail] center;
• Preclude use of significant portions of first floor store
frontage for retail trade.”
Clarify, as is done for the Central Business District land
use policy (outlined in 17.20.130 of Anacortes Municipal
Code), that sidewalk cafes and mini-parks are appropriate
for the Commercial zone along south Commercial Avenue.
Support requiring parking in the rear of buildings along
south Commercial Avenue to lessen number of curb cuts
and bring building frontages closer to the sidewalk.
Consider adding density minimums to the development
requirements of south Commercial Avenue in the future,
particularly in the Pedestrian Activation Zones.
Support proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan to
increase building density and a mix of uses on and near
south Commercial Avenue.
Encourage and incentivize a mix of uses likely to attract
pedestrians and cyclists, such as grocery stores,
restaurants, shops, and housing, especially within the
Pedestrian Activation Zones.
Standardize and reduce setbacks on new construction on
the corridor. Prohibit the use of setbacks for parking.
71
72
IMPROVED
STREET
CROSSING
PEDESTRIAN
ACTIVATION
ZONES
REDUCE LANE WIDTH
WIDER SIDEWALKS
BIKE LANES
DIRECT EFFECTS OF PROPOSED
STREET REDESIGN
IMPROVED
CONNECTIVITY
IMPROVED
TRAFFIC
EFFICIENCY
SLOWER
VEHICLE
SPEEDS
INCREASED
PED/BIKE
USERS
REDUCTION IN PED/BIKE
ACCIDENTS
SHORT TERM IMPACTS OF
PROPOSED STREET REDESIGN
Public Safety Health Logic Model
INCREASED
SOCIAL
INTERACTION
INCREASED
PERCEPTION
OF SAEFTY
DECREASED
STRESS
INCREASED
PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY
IMPROVED
PHYSICAL AND
PSYCHOSOCIAL
HEALTH
LONG TERM IMPACTS OF
PROPOSED STREET REDESIGN
Figure PS.12 Impacts of public safety on health--logic model
PUBLIC
SAFETY
Although the United States Legal Code defines “public
safety” as a sole domain of law enforcement and emergency
responders, other sources refer to public safety as crime,
noise, inappropriate social behavior, and other issues that
can impact the quality of life and wellbeing of affected
individuals 151. Safety is one of the most important factors
for both current and future residents of a community,
particularly those in an urban setting. Individuals living in
urban areas tend to be more isolated from their neighbors,
leading to a lack of attachment to the larger community.
This phenomenon can lead residents to feel less safe
within their neighborhood. The concept of community
consistently changes and can be broadly characterized as
place-based - which includes where people reside, work,
and socialize - or place-less, such as online communities
152
. However, the community is defined, feelings of safety
and members’ satisfaction with the community are
consistently correlated 153.
Safety and health are strongly correlated. Multiple
studies have identified the connection between longterm stress resulting from a sense of continuous fear
for one’s safety and poorer psychological, behavior
and physical health outcomes 152,154. The fear of crime
also influences frequency of outdoor physical activities,
including pedestrian and bicycle usage 153,154. According
to Foster et al (2010), residents of communities that
incorporate design features to increase walkability benefit
from increased opportunities for physical activities and
the potential reduction of lifestyle related illnesses as
well as an increased feeling of safety at the individual and
community-level 154.
Car crashes and the resulting injuries are also a threat to
safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
CHAPTER SECTIONS
• Disaster Risk Reduction & Response
• Pedestrian & Bike Speed
• Traffic Speed
• Crime & Violence
• Recommendations
(NHTSA) (2012) defines, “…a crash to be speeding-related
if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense
or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for
conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a
contributing factor in the crash 30.” Exceeding speed
limits contributes significantly to automobile crashes and
induces substantial economic costs to society 30. A 2013
study by Yannis, Louca, Vardaki, and Kanellaidis 2013
revealed that there are several factors that contribute to
exceeding speed limits that are mainly related to driver
attitude 155. Most drivers that exceed speed limits do
so because they believe everyone else is as well. Other
variables include driver characteristics such as age or
gender, the driver enjoys driving fast, they are in a hurry,
or they feel that speed limits should overall be higher 155.
Studies have shown a correlation between collision speeds
and pedestrian injury severity 156. They estimate that
about 5 percent of pedestrians would die when struck by
a vehicle traveling 20 mph, about 40 percent for vehicles
traveling 30 mph, about 80 percent for vehicles traveling
40 mph, and nearly 100 percent for speeds over 50 mph
156
. According to the National Safety Council (2016),
30% of fatal crashes are caused by speeding, and a high
percentage occur on neighborhood streets where drivers
exceed the speed limit. In 2012 in Washington State, at
73
PUBLIC SAFETY | INTRODUCTION
least 30% of pedestrian deaths that occurred took place
on roads with posted speed limits between 15-30 mph 157.
Speed management approaches that include traffic
engineering components are often called traffic calming.
Traffic calming has been defined as “…the combination of
mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects
of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior, and improve
conditions for non-motorized street users” 156. This may
be due to engineering changes that produce visible
alterations to the driving environment 156. Studies have
shown that an increase in pedestrians and bicycle lanes
will have a positive effect on driver awareness. However,
extensive research has been shown that street designs
that promote traffic calming have the most effect on drivers
to maintain speed limits. These include: raised pedestrian
crosswalks, rumble strips, angled parking, traffic circles,
neckdown/bulbout/curb extensions, reduced corner radii,
and in-pavement lighting at crosswalks 156.
Rates of crime and violence in a community also contribute
to poorer physical and mental health outcomes of its
residents. People who live in areas with higher crime are
less likely to engage in recreational physical activity, 158,159
which has negative implications for incidence of chronic
disease, metabolic syndrome, and BMI 160,161 . Living in areas
with higher crime and violence rates has also been shown
to increase psychological distress and other indicators of
poor mental health 162.
Interestingly, perceptions of safety or vulnerability to
crime in a community often has more influence over
overall opinion regarding crime than actual rates and can
prevent residents from interacting with their community
in a healthy way 163. As with actual high crime rates,
perceived high crime in an area has been associated with
less physical activity, higher BMI, and poorer mental health
164
. Additionally, it has been associated with less public
transportation use and less social cohesiveness 165-167.
74
Several interventions have been found to prevent the
health impacts of both actual and perceived crime,
including installing street lighting, decreasing the number
of vacant lots and vacated buildings, and eliminating
graffiti 166,168. An approach to urban planning called Crime
Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is
a growing movement towards the recognition of the
importance of taking these elements into account before
a development or revitalization project is started 169.
Although south Commercial Avenue is dominated by
vehicular transport and business, the area to the west of
the avenue is designated as a residential zone 170. Because
of this, it is critical to integrate an evaluation of the impact
this redesign will have on the perceived and actual safety
of the area’s residents, as well as the larger Anacortes
community.
The four domains of focus are: (1) disaster risk reduction
and response, (2) pedestrian and bicycle safety, (3) traffic
speed, and (4) crime & violence in the area. The South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan will be utilized, as well
as City of Anacortes documents to compare best practices
in design for community safety to the current proposal.
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
& RESPONSE
Two important aspects of public safety are the reduction of
risk and prompt responses by public safety entities such as
police, fire, paramedics, and other first responders during
an emergency or disaster event. The City of Anacortes
supports these aspects of public safety as evidenced by
the budget allocations outlined in the 2015-2020 Capital
Facilities Plan. Budget allocations include: the construction
of a new fire station, emergency management mitigation at
fire stations, personal protective equipment for firefighters,
and replacement of aging police and fire vehicles 171.
The Draft Anacortes 2016 Comprehensive Plan includes
value statements on Environmental Sustainability, and the
importance of preparing for natural disasters and climate
change. The Natural Hazards section of the Corridor Plan
identifies multiple policies that support hazard mitigation
and partnership with County, State, and Federal agencies.
The Hazard Assessment documents concerns including:
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, and geologic hazards
(e.g. landslides, wildfires, windstorms). Man-made
hazardous concerns include the proximity to two oil
refineries which present the risk of explosion, hazardous
materials incidents including oil spills, and the release of
toxic chemicals. Several major rights-of-way are used to
transport hazardous materials and traverse Anacortes,
including rail, the SR 20 spur, and the Port of Anacortes
Marine terminal facility 95.
Existing Conditions
The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program’s Center
for Tsunami Inundation Mapping Efforts developed a
tsunami inundation model for communities at the east end
of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The model uses an initiating
event of a 9.1 Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake off of
the Pacific coast. In the simulation, the first tsunami wave
would hit the area two hours after the quake. The maximum
projected wave height expected to reach the Anacortes
area is 6.5 feet. This model does not include potential
tsunamis from landslides or nearby crustal faults 172. The
2016 Anacortes Comprehensive Plan predicts areas of
inundation to include: Skyline Marina, Ship Harbor, Eastern
Guemes Channel, Cap Sante Marina and March’s Point
95
. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Technical Memorandum corresponding with these maps
predicts little to no inundation in downtown Anacortes 173.
The city’s map also adds a 20% buffer from the predicted
boundary of a potential tsunami wave front. The map
shows recommended travel routes to high ground for
residents to evacuate. The Comprehensive Plan includes
dispatching public safety resources to high ground to
assess the number of evacuees and to determine shelter
resources 95.
In the event of an offshore earthquake, the chain
of notification includes initiation by the West Coast/
Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska to the
Washington State Military Department to local communities
that may be impacted. Once notified, the City of Anacortes
will determine the level of risk and, if appropriate, will use
the Community Alert Network to notify residents to seek
higher ground. Notification procedures can also include
the Emergency Broadcast System. Public safety resources,
if not already committed, will be deployed to utilize their
mobile vehicle loudspeakers to warn affected residents
and visitors and direct them to higher ground.
Walking Tour Observation
•
The current road configuration appears it could be
reconfigured to allow unidirectional traffic and speed
evacuation egress.
•
There were no observed evacuation route postings,
this may be because this is not an identified risk for
this area.
•
The hospital and proposed hospital overlay district
is central to the proposed South Commercial Street
Project, however the main hospital entrance was not
seen on the walking tour.
75
LAND USE & PUBLIC SPACE | DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & RESPONSE
Figure PS.13 Causal Pathway: Disaster Risk Reduction, Modeled on Haddon's Matrix Injury
Prevention
Proposed Changes
Disaster risk reduction is not directly addressed in the
South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan. However, a
series of design choices in the Corridor Plan may impact
the activities following a disaster, including the evacuation
of the citizens of Anacortes. One primary goal of the
implementation of the Corridor Plan, is to lower overall
traffic speeds. This is done through changes to the design
of the road:
• Narrowing of lanes is one of the main design decisions
in the Corridor Plan. By inputting wider sidewalks, bike
infrastructure, vegetative buffers and medians, the
lanes are narrowed with the goal of lowering speeds.
• Raised crosswalks are implemented in 31 crossings in
an attempt to make crossings safer for pedestrian and
bikes. See previous discussion in the Transportation
Section (Chapter 1).
• Wide sidewalk aprons are installed in several places, in
an attempt to further increase safety for pedestrians.
Health Impacts
As speeds are lowered through measures of physical
infrastructure, it complicates and slows both the access
for emergency response teams, that are trying to access a
76
disaster zone, as well as facilitating the evacuation of the
citizens. The narrowing of the lanes does not necessarily
have a direct impact on emergency vehicles, but does
make navigation more complex for the first responders.
In the event that other vehicles are already on the road, it
makes navigating out of the way, to allow for emergency
vehicles to pass through, challenging and potentially
dangerous. As speeds are lowered through road design,
the evacuation might take place in a slower fashion. It
has not been quantified if this will have an impact, but it
is important to consider and to be aware of, especially
as a city in a tsunami area. The raised crosswalks on side
streets could be problematic in a disaster event, as laid
out in the Transportation Section (Chapter 1).
The health impact to Anacortes residents in the event of a
disaster or emergency event, where shelter or evacuation
is required, are difficult to quantify and relate to the South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan, as depicted in the
causal pathway below, Figure PS.12
Planners should consider both the positive day-to-day
health impacts of the project on the population and the
negative health impacts that could result from delayed
emergency response and evacuation in the unlikely event
of a disaster.
PEDESTRIAN & BIKE SAFETY
Existing Conditions
The current conditions along south Commercial Avenue
do not encourage walking and cycling through the area
rather than driving. With no designated bike lanes, speedy
and noisy traffic and limited crosswalks, south Commercial
Avenue is not attractive to active transportation. Cyclists
currently share the road with motor vehicle traffic, including
trucks and buses. While the City of Anacortes’ 2007
Bike Survey showed an increasing amount of residents
depending on bicycles for everyday transportation, the
negative perception of safety experienced by residents
and tourists on south Commercial Avenue likely inhibits
walking and biking on this roadway63. Without safe,
designated paths for separate modes of transit, residents
in Anacortes may choose not to bike or walk to nearby
destinations for their everyday tasks and for recreation.
Instead, residents will opt out of healthier, environmentally
friendly modes of transit such as biking and walking, and
continue to depend on motor vehicles.
Walking Tour Observation
Pedestrian Safety:
• Narrow sidewalks
• Sidewalk obstruction (e.g., light and electrical poles)
• Non-ADA compliant
• High traffic speed, yielding high traffic noise
• Limited crossing points, forcing crossings in
undesignated areas
• Lengthy crossing light waiting times when lights
present, incentivizing crossings when undesignated
• Numerous large driveways, presenting numerous
conflict points
Bike Safety:
• No designated bike lane (except for southern most
block), forcing lane sharing and providing no safety
buffer
Proposed Changes
• High vehicular traffic speed, yielding high traffic noise
The proposed changes to south Commercial Avenue will
likely significantly improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in
the following ways: The largest increase in safety for active
transit utilizers and vehicles is through the implementation
of a complete street 174,175. Having designated lanes and
increased separation for different modes of transit has
proven to be an effective safety improvement 174,175.
• Parking along the length of the avenue, posing car and
car door conflict points with cyclists
A vertical vegetation buffer between the cycle lane and the
vehicle traffic in the Corridor Pan will also likely increase
bikers’ perception of safety. One’s perceived safety
correlates with active transit use 176. Where parking is
retained along south Commercial Avenue, the proposed
vegetation buffer will minimize conflict points for bikers
with parking cars and car doors 177. The different materials
used for pedestrian designated lanes (concrete) and cycle
lanes (asphalt) will visually distinguish the lanes, limiting
pedestrian-cyclist conflict. Increasing the number of
painted crosswalks across south Commercial Avenue will
minimize jaywalking across the busy street by reducing
the distance pedestrians need to walk along the avenue to
reach a designated crosswalk.
Reducing the vehicle traffic lanes from fifteen-foot to
eleven-foot lanes will naturally reduce vehicle speed by
using visual and psychological mechanisms that induce
slowing 178,179. The raised crosswalks for both pedestrian
and bike crossings on the lateral sides of south Commercial
Avenue, in the Pedestrian Activation Zones may reduce
turning speeds, forcing drivers to slow down and yield to
bikers and pedestrians before turning, thus minimizing
collisions 180,181. See previous discussion.
77
LAND USE & PUBLIC SPACE | PEDESTRIAN & BIKE SAFETY
The Rectangular Rapid-Flash Beacons (RRFBs) implemented
at bike and pedestrian crossings in dense, unsignalized
intersections will promote bike and pedestrian crossing
safety through boldly alerting vehicles to yield 182. The
bulbouts at intersections, which narrow the intersections
by removing the parking lane, will benefit cyclist and
pedestrian safety in three ways: first, the curb extension
demands a sharper turning radius, which then slows
vehicular turning speeds; second, pedestrians and cyclists
on these extensions are more visible to drivers; and third,
curb extensions shorten road crossing distances, reducing
length of potential conflict and making crossings feel more
manageable for children and older adults 180,183,184.
Lastly, the bike lane transitions at 11th avenue, when
exiting or entering the Historic Downtown area, will help
facilitate the transition into the complete street. Transition
points pose safety challenges for cyclists and automobiles
if no clear transition signaling exists. The dashed green
lines at 11th avenue signal bikers to enter their designated
cycle lane.
Health Impacts
These proposed changes all positively affect pedestrian,
cyclist and automobile safety through minimizing
conflict points within and between all of these modes of
transportation. Additionally, the proposed changes not
only positively impact health through reducing collision
potential, but also through creating a safer, more
welcoming environment for individuals of all abilities to
be active along south Commercial Avenue. As complete
streets tend to draw in people and create community, an
increasing amount of Anacortes residents and tourists
will stroll or bike along the avenue for various purposes,
which in turn will increase their physical activity and overall
health.
78
Image PS.9 Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
Image courtesy of www.lincoln.ne.gov
TRAFFIC SPEED
Existing Conditions
Image PS.10 Magnitude of injuries are related to vehicle speed
Image courtesy of http://www.nroselaw.com/photos/
Anacortes tourist activities increase during the summer,
which results in an increase in traffic and pedestrians. The
section of south Commercial Avenue that is part of the
Anacortes Corridor Plan spans from 11th St to 34th St
with four signalized intersections within 23 blocks: 12th,
17th, 22nd, and 32nd Streets, respectively. This strip of the
corridor is a 35 mph speed zone. Because the signalized
intersections are several blocks apart, drivers may have
the tendency to increase speeds between lights. The
South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan will bring more
pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles to this avenue. With this
in mind, maintaining speed limits and increasing driver
awareness is crucial to the success of this project. The
Anacortes’ Police Department 2015 Annual Report states
the city had an increase of total collisions from 192 in
2011 to 260 in 2015 185. When fully staffed, the Anacortes
Police Department includes 25 commissioned and 7
non-commissioned employees of Patrol, Detectives and
Administration and serves approximately 16,000 citizens.
With stretched resources, it would be impossible for the
Anacortes police to enforce traffic speeds on a consistent
basis 186.
Proposed Changes
The proposed changes will significantly impact the
perceptions of speed among drivers along south
Commercial Avenue. A major goal of the South Commercial
Avenue Corridor Plan is to increase pedestrian and bicycle
usage. This alone will provide mechanisms to ensure
drivers are more aware of their surroundings. Secondly,
narrowing the streets will induce slower overall speeds and
the more frequent interruptions in flow, has the potential
to deter drivers from speeding up from one traffic signal
to another. Lastly, the increase in curb radii, when turning
right, will force drivers to slow down at intersections.
Health Impacts
The proposed changes will have positive effects on
pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists of Anacortes. These
changes will decrease collision and injury rates between
all modes of travel. Decreasing the actual speeds by just 5
mph along the Anacortes Corridor will reduce the number
of crashes involving motor vehicles while simultaneously
reducing overall severity of injuries and mortality rates if
a collision were to occur. Vehicular collisions have high
costs both monetarily and to one’s physical well-being.
Crashes cause damages that may not be affordable to
most and injuries that are not only costly but may place
someone out of work temporarily or permanently. These
are undue stressors that have their own impact on health
and overall well-being.
79
CRIME & VIOLENCE
Existing Conditions
In 2014, Anacortes had a crime rate of 63.2/1,000 residents
185
. This was about half of the rate of Seattle for the same
year. The most frequent crimes reported involved larceny
theft, destruction of property, and minor drug violations
187
. According to the Anacortes Police Department’s 2015
annual report, both violent crimes and misdemeanors
have been trending downwards since 2011, arriving at
their lowest recorded levels last year (2015) 185. There
is no published literature or reports on perceptions of
safety among Anacortes residents. The Anacortes 2016
Comprehensive Plan provides a brief overview of recent
crime statistics but does not highlight violence and crime
as a priority concern for the town.
Anacortes experiences a substantial increase in vehicular
and pedestrian traffic in the summer months due to the
high season for ferry usage. There is no data available
on how many non-Anacortes residents pass through
the town during this period of time, but the town’s Civil
Engineer estimates that the daily population doubles. The
literature highlights an important connection regarding
the increased perception of danger in a community with
an influx of “outsiders” drawn to retail or other local
attractions 154,168,188. This is critical to consider when
assessing the health impact of the South Commercial
Avenue Corridor Plan.
Proposed Changes
The proposed street redesign will serve to enhance
community perception of safety by creating more
opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists to traverse
south Commercial Avenue, creating a greater sense of
community and social cohesion. Improved crosswalks
and sidewalks will facilitate better access to recreation,
businesses, and services for residents and business owners
along the corridor. This will likely increase the number
80
Image PS.11 Pedestrian lighting can improve public safety
Image courtesy of www.evanstonnow.com/
of non-vehicle users of the corridor and subsequently
more opportunities for community building. Although
non-residents and tourists will continue to represent a
substantial portion of the users of south Commercial
Avenue, this redesign will provide Anacortes residents
with more spaces to interact with each other and with
their town. The decision to maintain the street lights will
also provide more security for users of the corridor.
Health Impacts
These aspects of the Corridor Plan will ultimately improve
physical and psychosocial health in both the short and
long term. Although actual rates of violence and crime are
low in the town, the presence of non-residents in the town
on a routine basis can create perceptions of safety issues,
particularly in areas such as south Commercial Avenue,
which have historically not been claimed for pedestrians
or bicyclists. Creating safe zones for residents to gather
and traverse will encourage more physical activity and
social interaction, ultimately benefiting both physical and
mental health.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Overall, the Corridor Plan for south Commercial Avenue
will positively impact the public safety of both Anacortes
residents and visitors. At its core, the Corridor Plan has
prioritized the well-being of the community by including
many pedestrian and bicycle friendly features, encouraging
slower vehicle speeds, and providing more opportunities
for social gathering and community building. As depicted
in the Health Logic Model (Figure PS.13), it is believed that
the Corridor Plan will have an overall positive effect on
the health of the users of south Commercial Avenue and
should be implemented in its entirety.
Corridor Plan on Evacuation Routes and Plans.
• The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan needs
to consider hospital access and the long-term plan for
the hospital overlay district, particularly the need for
increased access in the event of a catastrophic event
affecting Anacortes, the surrounding area, and the San
Juan Islands.
• Update city evacuation plan to include the changes
made to south Commercial Avenue.
• Consider alternatives to raised crosswalks, and evaluate
The following recommendations suggest additional
features and concepts to integrate into the Corridor Plan
to further enhance aspects of public safety. Some of these
recommendations are out of the scope of the current
Corridor Plan, however, it is believed they are important to
note for future enhancement of this project.
• Support the proposed bike
• Consider the impact of the South Commercial Avenue
their impacts on disaster evacuation routes.
• Include signage that defines the city's evacuation route
with information on what to do in case of a disastrous
event.
• Consider working with a research team to examine the
resilience of the community and the potential impacts
of a disaster, including options for rebuilding.
• Create responsive crossing signals to reduce the time
and
pedestrian
infrastructure.
• Support for the use of standard countdown timers in
pedestrian crossings. Though it might slightly increase
average vehicle delay, it will allow children and elderly
more time to cross, ensuring a safer experience for
pedestrians.
• Support the proposed traffic calming measures,
especially lane width reduction, increased turning radii
and plantings.
• Support the proposed bike and pedestrian infrastructure
for its ability to increase the public perception of safety.
pedestrians and cyclists must wait for their signal,
reducing the likelihood of jaywalking and encouraging
pedestrians to follow the crossing signals181,184.
• Expand the installation of RRFBs beyond the Pedestrian
Activation Zones and to the newly designated
crosswalks.
• Elaborate on existing and proposed bicycle lanes, and
way-finding signage connecting the Tommy Thompson
Trail to south Commercial Avenue, at 22nd Street;
• Improve safety of crosswalks at R and Q Avenues for
pedestrians and cyclists accessing the trail 189.
• Ensure street lights are maintained in new design,
especially at Pedestrian Activation Zones.
• Review the Corridor Plan with police, fire, emergency
services, and the Skagit County Office of Emergency
Management to identify and mitigate potential negative
consequences of the proposed revisions.
• Gather data on public perceptions of safety from crime,
focusing on residents along south Commercial Avenue
as well as owners and patrons of businesses along the
avenue.
• Incorporate
CPTED principles when designing
Pedestrian Activation Zones and bike lanes.
81
82
Economic Health Logic Model
Figure EC.14 Causal pathway leading from economic
changes to health outcomes
ECONOMIC
HEALTH
An individual’s income is a primary social determinant of
an individual’s health, and is determined by the strength
of the economy in which the individual is employed 190.
The Corridor Plan proposes to develop street design
options that strengthen the visual appearance of and
support a vibrant economy along the corridor 22. The
South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan includes design
options such as non-motorized access and pedestrianfriendly building frontages that will likely promote private
investment in the corridor, thereby expanding businesses
and employment opportunities, attracting residents, and
drawing in more tourists 48,95.
This section will explore how this anticipated economic
development will impact human health. The envisioned
robust retail and commercial use along the south
Commercial Avenue corridor will foster financial security
for employees and business owners alike, allowing
them to access goods and services. The Corridor Plan’s
active transportation walking and bike lanes will increase
connectivity across the city and allow employees to get
physical exercise while commuting to work, thereby
increasing their productivity at work and decreasing
sick days 191. Additionally, through active transportation
individuals may save money on automobile costs and
healthcare. The modified on-street parking will encourage
Pedestrian Activation Zones to flourish and may boost
business revenue. The Corridor Plan is expected to
increase walkability ratings, a metric that is associated with
increased property value, which has the potential to both
increase revenues for the city and also cause displacement
192
. Overall, increased business revenue and property
values will contribute to higher incomes and resources
for many residents to pursue healthy lives. Please see
CHAPTER SECTIONS
• Retail Sales & Jobs
• Workplace Health & Economic Gain
• Resident Savings
• Parking
• Property Value
• Recommendations
figure EC.14 for the causal pathways to negative health
outcomes as they relate to economics.
To better serve the residents, businesses, and visitors
of Anacortes, city officials should remain committed
to community engagement, especially as the South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan proceeds through
its various planning stages. Garnering public support,
understanding the needs of the community and
incorporating
concepts
of
equitable
economic
development into future zoning and ordinance policies
will allow businesses improved access to opportunities
such as parklets (see glossary).
It is recommended that the city of Anacortes strengthen
their background understanding of community needs in
relation to the Corridor Plan, incorporate active transport
infrastructure both on the street and in worksites, ensure
equitable economic development, and facilitate zoning so
that businesses can carry out design elements such as
parklets.
83
RETAIL SALES & JOBS
Existing Conditions
South Commercial Avenue offers a wide range of
professional service and convenience-oriented retail
establishments, including a hospital, restaurants, and
chain retailers. Although city officials have expressed
interest in economic development and job growth, from
June 2014 to June 2015 the city experienced a decline in
available jobs by 0.19 percent 193. This is compared with
an average job growth rate of 3.2 percent in Washington
State 194 and 6.3 percent in the United States 195 during the
same time period. However, there are opportunities for
improved economic conditions considering the growing
number of visitors in the area, prospect for downtown
redevelopment, and the ample supply of eating and
drinking places and niche retail shops 195.
Health Impacts
It is anticipated that the south Commercial Avenue corridor
will provide the infrastructure and conditions to attract
locals and visitors to businesses in Anacortes. As the area
becomes safer and more accessible for pedestrians and
bicyclists, it will become a more pleasant, lively place to
linger, eventually resulting in an increased demand for
recreational and leisure goods and services. This should, in
turn, boost financial security for local businesses and allow
for an expansion of employment opportunities. As a result,
business leaders and those employed will have a greater
likelihood to access goods, services, and psychological
factors that promote good health 190. Financial security
normally decreases susceptibility to untreated chronic
stress, which is known to contribute to heart disease, high
blood pressure, depression, muscle pain, obesity, and
a host of other morbidities 190. Specifically, the ability to
access financial security has positive implications on the
experience of several morbidities including hypertension,
heart disease, mental health disorders, injuries, ulcers,
and cirrhosis 196. By providing an infrastructure for active
transportation, Anacortes may attract new residents, draw
in more tourists, and incentivize locals to remain in the city.
84
In doing so, businesses should have a greater likelihood of
having a strong clientele base and be in a position to offer
employment opportunities.
A statewide study by the Vermont Agency of Transportation
measured the impact of bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure
in the state on net new spending in terms of sales, labor
earnings, and employment. It found that every one million
dollars of infrastructure spending generated nearly
32 jobs. These largely came from construction trades,
program/planning support, and professional/technical
services (e.g., engineering and architecture firms) 197.
The study also found that this infrastructure attracted
over 16,000 visitors within a year of project completion,
and that these visitors spent over $6 million in the state.
Another smaller scale project in the historic downtown
business corridor of Salt Lake City converted parking
spaces into nine blocks of protected bike lanes and added
planters, crosswalks, public art, and colored pavement.
Retail sales increased along the redesign by 8.8 percent
and throughout the city as a whole by 7 percent within
a two-year period. An extensive survey of 90 percent
of businesses along the corridor found that 59 percent
of business owners reported being very supportive or
supportive of the changes; 23 percent were neutral
198
. A national study analyzed 58 pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure projects in 11 cities in terms of average fulltime employment impacts. It found that for every $1 million
dollars in spending, the average project created 4.7 direct
jobs, 2.1 indirect jobs, and 2.1 induced jobs through the
design, construction, and materials procurement. It also
found that bike and pedestrian infrastructure construction
projects create significantly more jobs than vehicle
infrastructure construction, and that once construction
is complete bike and pedestrian infrastructure increases
economic activity and raises property values 199. It is
anticipated Anacortes will experience similar economic
benefits to those outlined above by pursuing the South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan.
WORKPLACE HEALTH &
ECONOMIC GAIN
The Anacortes Comprehensive Plan 2016 envisions
healthy retail and commercial use along the south
Commercial Avenue corridor, which will likely bring in
more businesses and increase the demand for employees
22
. Employees must have a way of commuting to and from
work. In addition to commuting trips they also need to
make utility trips to get lunch or run errands. The current
infrastructure along south Commercial Avenue doesn’t
encourage or allow safe bicycle and pedestrian use for
employees to travel to and around work. The multi-modal
South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan will serve to
enhance the appearance and economy along the corridor
and also support active, non-motorized, transport to and
from work, meeting another goal of the Corridor Plan.
Existing Conditions
According to the 2010-2014 American Community Survey,
77.2 percent of workers 16 and over in Anacortes drove
to work alone, nearly five percent higher than Washington
State’s average 200. These unfavorable conditions hinder
opportunities for employees to actively commute to work
and increase the economic vitality of their company, as
well as pose a barrier for residents and employees to fulfill
their daily exercise requirements.
Health Impact
Active transport entails physical activity undertaken as a
method of transportation and includes walking, cycling,
and often public transportation, as it involves walking
on either end of the trip 201. In areas with appropriate
infrastructure, such as in the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan, active transport is commonly used as a
means of commuting to work. The south Commercial
Avenue plan will greatly improve the cycling and walking
conditions along the corridor and encourage locals to
partake in active transport to and around work.
The benefits of active transport do not stop at immediate
improvement of health, they provide economic benefits
for both employees and employers. If local employees are
able to actively commute to work and thereby increase
their daily physical activity, it will result in improved
productivity, fewer sick days, lower healthcare costs (see
Economic Savings for Residents) and monetary savings
for both the employers and employees 202. When an
employee misses work, employers are often forced to pay
more for replacement workers or pay overtime to existing
employees. Healthy employees are less likely to call in
sick, while overweight and obese men miss 56 percent
more workdays due to illness than normal-weight men
202
. Similarly, overweight and obese women miss between
Figure EC.15 Retail Sales Health Logic
85
ECONOMIC HEALTH | WORKPLACE HEALTH & ECONOMIC GAIN
14-41% more workdays due to illness than their normalweight counterparts 202.
Worksite promotion of active transport is an opportunity
for businesses to encourage the adoption of and
maintenance of healthy lifestyle behaviors and promote a
sense of community and cohesion among their employees
203
. Employees often view workplace health programs as
an investment made by their company for their well¬being
and a reflection of how much the company cares about its
employees, which may improve employee job satisfaction
and morale 204. Companies that support employee health
have a higher percent of workers at work each day 205.
Further, Shepherd (1992) found that companies with a
fitness program revealed no increases in medical costs,
while companies without one had a 35 percent increase
206
. A 14-year long study found that the employees of the
fittest health had one-eighth the number of injuries as
unfit employees (who also brought about twice the cost
in injuries) 207.
Figure EC.16 Workplace Health Logic
86
Ensuring the health and wellbeing of local employees
through employer-sponsored promotion of active
transport will help ensure the success of new businesses
the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan hopes to
attract. Employee wellness programs incentivizing and
encouraging active transport are prevention-focused and
beneficial to all through reduced employee absenteeism
and overtime, increased productivity, and reduced medical
expenses and disability costs 208. There are many common
barriers to active transport that employers can address
to encourage active transport, including safety concerns
and fear of looking unprofessional in the workplace. With
the help of the city, Anacortes businesses can successfully
encourage non-motorized means of commuting to work
and capitalize these economic co-benefits 209.
RESIDENT SAVINGS
Existing Conditions
Figure EC.17 Conceptual framework for cost-benefit analysis of
bike infrastructure investment6
As previously noted, the majority of Anacortes residents
drive to work. The US Department of Transportation
estimates that in 2014, the average yearly cost to own and
maintain a car was $8,698, whereas it cost only $308 to
own and maintain a bicycle 210. Anacortes residents may
want to take advantage of this transportation cost savings
given that in 2014, an estimated 10.1 percent of the
Anacortes population was living in poverty, and the per
capita income was $33,107 211. Between 2000 and 2010,
the number of bicycle commuters grew 40 percent in the
United States 210. In a national poll, more than 80 percent
of Americans stated they support increasing funding for
biking and walking infrastructure. Building the bike path
could allow individuals the option to bike to work, thereby
providing them the option for considerable cost savings
on transportation 212.
Not only does the Corridor Plan’s active transport
infrastructure provide direct cost savings for residents, but
it will also facilitate increased physical activity, which could
have indirect health care cost savings. Increasing physical
activity levels can improve health status, decrease risk for
chronic disease, and decrease overall healthcare costs
for individuals. Given that the median age of residents in
Anacortes is 40 years 95, structuring the built environment
to promote a healthy lifestyle is paramount.
Health Impacts
The CDC’s report on Health in the United States highlighted
that people who earn more income have lower rates of
several chronic diseases, including obesity, compared to
people with lower incomes 213. They have a higher sense
of control over their health and more social support, and
are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and avoid
unhealthy ones. The South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan will allow some individuals the option to choose biking
over driving, potentially resulting in considerable cost
savings for individuals. These savings could be spent on a
healthy lifestyle, such as fresh food or a shared experience
with the family. It should however, be noted that there is
no way to determine how many residents could or could
not bike, even with a newly rebuilt, complete street; as
such is proposed in the South Commercial Corridor Plan.
The potential savings to individuals would only be realized
by those individuals who have the physical and mental
capacity for using the corridor for active transportation.
Investing in a bikeway can create more than just fuel
and car cost savings, it can create considerable savings
in healthcare costs. In one study, thirty minutes of daily
cycling was credited with $544 individual health care
savings annually, by decreasing treatment of coronary
heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, colon cancer,
depression, anxiety, and osteoporotic hip fractures 214.
Increasing cycling can simultaneously improve a person’s
health and decrease their healthcare costs, which could
be invested back into their healthy lifestyle.
87
PARKING
Existing Conditions
Figure EC.18 Anacortes Parking Data
(Alta Planning + Design, 2016)
There are 233 on-street parking stalls along the corridor.
According to the Anacortes South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan, total average off-season utilization of the
corridor is around 35 percent 22. Highest-use blocks in
the corridor have a 65-80 percent usage. Moreover, less
than 30 percent of parking is utilized during the highest
observed utilization period (3pm) in Pedestrian Activation
Zones identified by Corridor Plan.
One of the problems along the corridor is that there
are too many parking spaces and many of them are
underutilized. Research in Phoenix showed that on-street
parking reduces the need for off-street parking 215. Thus,
in this case, reduced on-street parking in Pedestrian
Activation Zones can increase the demand for off-street
parking in nearby parking lots.
Proposed Conditions
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan created
three design alternatives for the city to consider but gives
preference to Alternative B 22. Alternative A is an avenue
scenario which incorporates vehicle protected bike lanes
in the corridor segment and a planted buffer between
vehicles and the bike lane in the Pedestrian Activation
Zones. Alternative B proposed a planted buffer between
vehicles and bike lanes. The sidewalks in alternative B
are narrower than those in alternative A. Alternative C
suggested a two-way cycle track on one-side of the street.
Overall, these strategies maintain on-street parking but
offer preservation or consolidation of existing parking
along the Pedestrian Activation Zones.
Health Impacts
Both bike lanes and on-street parking can help adjacent
businesses thrive and encourage pedestrian activity.
Firstly, on-street parking acts as a shield of several
thousand pounds of metal between pedestrians and the
moving traffic which means people will feel safer along
88
sidewalks with on-street parking. Secondly, on-street
parking may encourage people to walk farther distances
along the street than they otherwise would by walking
from a parking lot 216. On the other hand, parklets and bike
lanes can also serve as protective barriers for pedestrians
and increase pedestrian perception of safety. Bike lanes
and safer sidewalks with more walking pedestrians may
increase the sales along the south Commercial Avenue.
It is possible that many business owners will worry about
their sales if the on-street parking is replaced by bike
lanes. However, a case in Salt Lake City showed that a
certain amount of reduction in street parallel parking did
not harm the neighborhood businesses since bike lanes
had a positive impact on retail sales 198. On 300 South,
also known as Broadway Street, Salt Lake City shifted
parallel parking away from the curb on three blocks and
converted six blocks of diagonal parking to parallel parking
to create nine blocks of protected bike lanes on its historic
downtown business corridor. As mentioned above, the
City did a study on the impact of this project using sales
tax data and found that the sales along the project rose
8.8 percent. Along the project, the sales rose 25 percent
quicker than city wide 198.
PROPERTY VALUE
Existing Conditions
The supply of new properties in Anacortes is low. At the
end of April 2016, there were only 100 housing units for
sale in the market, which also reflected the 2015 market
217
. Moreover, the vacancy rate of apartments for rent in
the area is lower than in Washington at large; in April 2016
the vacancy rate was 0.63 percent in Anacortes and 2.5
percent in Washington state. Additionally, most housing
units in Anacortes are quite old, with a median real estate
age 29 of years 193,218.
While the supply of new properties is low, the demand for
housing is high, and median household income is $59,857
-- higher than other nearby cities and much higher than
last year. Household income is a significant factor in
raising the demand for housing. Windermere Real Estate
(2016) reports that in April 2016, the absorption rate
(see glossary) in Skagit County was 51.2, an increase of
36.8 YOY (year over year) 217. People in the area also pay
relatively high rent. According to the statistics taken from
Zillow (2016), the average rental rate of an apartment in
Anacortes is $1,590, compared with $1,425 in Oak Harbor
and $1,472 in Mount Vernon. The apartment market in
Anacortes show an upward trend: the rent increased 47
percent from the last year YOY. Figure EC.19 demonstrates
absorption rates in Skagit County.
It is quite difficult for low and medium income people as
well as people from other areas to buy a new house in
Anacortes because the listing price has been continuously
increasing. According to Trulia (2016), the median listing
price in the area is $387,000 which is an increase of
$100,000 (35 percent) in median home sales over the past
year 219. Using 100 as the average cost index in the US,
Anacortes cost of living rates 124.20 and Housing rates
164.00, so clearly it is more expensive to live in Anacortes
than the average place in the US. Despite high costs of
living, the homeowner rate is high at 72 percent. However,
low and medium income people experience a housing
cost burden 193,219.
Figure EC.19 Skagit County Real Estate Absorption Rates for
Single Family Homes
Source: http://www.windermereskagit.com/skagitabsorption-rate
Health Impacts
Redeveloping south Commercial Avenue could raise
property values, thereby increasing overall economic
revenue for individuals and the city, which as previously
mentioned, can have positive health benefits. However, the
city will need to be careful when encouraging this process,
as gentrification can displace vulnerable populations and
exacerbate existing health disparities.
When measured by quantifiable metrics, including
sidewalk width and continuity, slope, perceived safety, and
aesthetics, walkability produces higher property values,
reflecting a shift in the marketplace that has not been fully
appreciated by appraisers. On a 100-point scale, a 10-point
increase in walkability scores increases property values by
1 to 9 percent 220. When the demand for the properties
increases, so will the price of rent. This is a financial benefit
for the city and homeowners but also has the negative
consequence of gentrification, or displacing long-time low
to middle-income earning residents and businesses. This
89
ECONOMIC HEALTH | PROPERTY VALUE
ECONOMIC HEALTH | PROPERTY VALUE
Image EC.12 Some retailers are designed for drive-thru and do
not have seats to accommodate consumers.
is particularly problematic considering that, according to
City-Data (2000-2013), the percentage of residents below
the poverty level was as high as 23 percent in one major
area of the corridor project (from M Avenue to R Avenue
between 32nd and 22nd) 221. According to the CDC,
studies indicate that gentrification contributes to health
disparities among vulnerable populations, including the
poor, women, children, the elderly, and members of racial/
ethnic minority groups 222.
These communities may face undue hardship as a result
of this project as they face barriers to achieving affordable
housing, transportation choices, quality schools, healthy
food choices, and social networks. This can result in
changes to their experience of stress, injury, violence and
crime, mental health, and social and environmental justice.
90
Image EC.13 There are a few bike racks along the corridor
Image EC.14 Increased traffic lights and signage could improve
pedestrian safety
RECOMMENDATIONS
To accommodate and promote active transportation
with the new infrastructure, the city may consider the
following strategies:
• Develop promotional materials to inform employers of
the cost savings of accommodating a workforce that
utilizes active transportation for both commuting and
shorter utility trips such as lunch breaks.
• Coordinate events that can attract tourists and locals to
the new corridor to increase awareness and utilization
of the pedestrian-bicycle infrastructure.
• Incentivize businesses to provide benches and outdoor
seating such as dining opportunities to promote a lively
street front culture.
• Conduct focus groups and key informant interviews
with those that can represent the elderly population
(30 percent of population is 60+) to evaluate what this
group needs to access the south Commercial Avenue
corridor and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.
• To prevent parking shortages, conduct further parking
demand research to identify the parking requirements
for future developments.
• Implement the proposed parklets, wider sidewalks,
Pedestrian Activation Zones, and bike lanes.
• Facilitate a process by which businesses can receive
assistance with obtaining and installing bike parking
and storage facilities. Bike lockers can be installed on
off-street parking spaces when the lot is underutilized.
• Consider placing parklets adjacent to retail and outdoor
The city may want to consider encouraging new and
existing employers to encourage active transportation
by:
dining establishments.
• Consider increasing the connectivity of the south
• Offering secure lockers for employees to store their
Commercial Avenue bike lanes with other bike lanes
and trails. Connect the south Commercial Avenue bike
lane to the Tommy Thompson trail at 22nd Street.
• Designating a private area where employees can
• Consider adding signage and other wayfinding for
shower and change out of their commuting clothes and
into professional attire.
pedestrians and cyclists that indicate the location of
this trail as well as other main attractions.
• Incentivizing employees to take alternative forms of
• To support equitable development to preserve the
cycling or walking gear.
transportation. (Incentives could be monetary, including
monthly raffles or drawings for bonuses or local gift
cards and additional paid time off, or non-monetary,
including recognition, merchandise, shift priority, etc.)
health of residents, consider:
• Developing incentives that promote new local
hiring and living wages.
Lastly, to help assure that the project meets the needs
and preferences of the community it is recommended
that an independent research organization or
a university-affiliated group be tasked with the
following:
• Utilizing strategies that allow existing residents
• Coordinate survey research to determine potential
existing agriculture vendors near Island Hospital,
to foster financial gains for a variety of businesses
and to increase access to nutrient-rich foods.
utilization and need for a bicycle-pedestrian corridor
along south Commercial Avenue among the Anacortes
community.
to stay within the neighborhood market such as
providing affordable housing or rent control when
feasible.
• Possible encouragement of the expansion of
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Community Health Logic Model
Figure CC.20 Health impacts of community cohesion
and social capital, logic model
COMMUNITY COHESION
& SOCIAL CAPITAL
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan provides a
robust opportunity for the City of Anacortes to improve
connectivity among residents and promote the growth
of an already vibrant region. In order for these efforts
to best promote the growth and fostering of social
ties, the City of Anacortes must consider how they can
support community cohesion and social capital. Social
capital refers to the relationships established between
community members 223. Community cohesion is a
function of social capital and describes to the extent to
which members in a society feel a sense of belonging and
connection with one another 223,224. Community cohesion
is intimately linked to community design with both the built
and natural environments 225-227. Included in this design
are neighborhood characteristics such as transportation
connectivity and accessibility, access to green space (i.e.,
trees, plants and other vegetation), as well as noise and
environmental pollution. These factors intersect and
contribute to mental and physical health outcomes related
to community cohesion. One method of addressing this is
by promoting overall stronger relations between groups
of people with each other and with the planning processes
of improving the south Commercial Avenue corridor. For
example, building on Anacortes’ unique location near
two Native American tribes can promote equity and
inclusion by incorporating tribal feedback in planning this
project. Although not extensively addressed in the 2016
Anacortes Comprehensive Plan, connections to health
and neighborhood design make community cohesion
a compelling and important theme to consider when
exploring revitalization efforts. Please view Figure CC.20
for a causal pathway to health outcomes.
CHAPTER SECTIONS
• Community Cohesion & Social Capital
• Native American Culture
• Pedestrian Mental Health
• Universal Access
• Affordable Housing
• Recommendations
Still, there is opportunity for growth and improvement by
making these spaces accessible to all community members.
For example, the infrastructure for active transportation
could be enhanced by more intentionally considering the
ways in which community members dynamically use this
area, as well as the diverse people who access this space.
Sidewalks along the 1.2-mile-long corridor offer minimal
protection from rain and sun exposure, which can pose
health risks and decrease pedestrian feelings of safety
and comfort 228. South Commercial Avenue feeds into the
existing Anacortes Downtown Commercial District—an
area with much promise for bringing community members
together via public amenities such as a farmers' market,
commercial shopping opportunities, and proximity to
Ship Harbor, which offers an exquisite view of Rosario
Strait. However, the aforementioned issues related
to automobile-oriented design represent significant
barriers for maximizing this area's potential for fostering
community cohesion.
The south Commercial Avenue corridor provides
some opportunities for community cohesion via retail
establishments, restaurants, and a vibrant farmers' market.
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PRESERVE NATIVE CULTURE
Image CC.15 Swinomish and Samish Tribal Logo
Existing Conditions
The Anacortes area is unique in its diversity because
it includes U.S. residents, as well as members of the
surrounding Indian Nations: The Samish and the
Swinomish. The Samish tribal headquarters are located
within Anacortes, on south Commercial Avenue, and
Swinomish are located in nearby La Conner, WA 229,230.
Previous examples of collaborations between the City
of Anacortes and these local tribes include the Tommy
Thompson Trail with the Samish and the purchase,
ownership, and joint use of SIMULCAST law enforcement
radio equipment with the Swinomish (among multiple
other examples) 231. Currently, the number of Native
Indian and Alaskan Natives in the area has grown from
0.9 percent to 1.2 percent of the area population from
2010 to 2014 232. This growth in population provides an
opportunity for the City of Anacortes to collaborate with
these local Indian Nations to create a more inclusive,
culturally rich environment.
Proposed Changes
To foster and strengthen collaborative efforts between the
City of Anacortes and the local Indian Nations, planners
should consider involving the local Indian Nations in the
development of the corridor. This may include involving
local Indian Nations in planning new art pieces and
garnering input on other aspects of the corridor project.
Health Impacts
This inclusion could help promote feelings of belonging,
appreciation, and mutual respect between the Nations
and other citizens of Anacortes. It could also have positive
impacts more broadly within the community as well,
such as promotion of social ties, feelings of inclusion,
and supporting positive social interactions. Previous
collaborations with these Indian Nations could be used as
a jumping point for further work together.
94
By incorporating the Samish and Swinomish Indian
Nations into this project, it may further strengthen a
sense of community between the two Indian Nations and
the City of Anacortes, promoting better health outcomes
and lessening of stress and other causes of poor health
outcomes. Community endeavors have been shown
to be effective in improving mental health within this
marginalized population 233. Other studies have found
it important for Native youth to also have community
grounding to promote positive mental health outcomes 234.
Moreover, another study found that modifications to the
built environment (along with other factors) can decrease
adverse health behaviors in the native community 235.
Furthermore, introducing more diversity into the built
environment of the City of Anacortes may lead to greater
feeling of social support and social ties in all populations in
Anacortes. Built environments have been shown to create
strong social attachments, social ties and social support
when found attractive to individuals 226.
PEDESTRIAN MENTAL HEALTH
Existing Conditions
Current conditions on south Commercial Avenue pose
multiple barriers to able-bodied pedestrians. One barrier
to walkability is the long stretches between signalized
intersections and safe crosswalks. For example, there are
no signalized intersections or safe crosswalks between
22nd Street and 32nd Street. Streets are uneven and at
some sections the sidewalk is too narrow to accommodate
groups traveling together. South Commercial Avenue
is currently not conducive to pedestrians of all ages,
lacking infrastructure such as play spaces for children
and safe spaces to stop and rest for all residents. Finally,
south Commercial Avenue contains no legible signage
that benefits those who are not quickly passing by in an
automobile.
The south Commercial Avenue corridor leads to a ferry
terminal which provides service to the San Juan Islands,
resulting in an influx of families that travel to Anacortes
during the tourist season. The City of Anacortes should
consider the safety of these pedestrians as well, as they
will not have had the benefit of becoming substantially
familiar or acclimated with south Commercial Avenue. The
City of Anacortes should strive to make south Commercial
Avenue a safer space for community members of all ages,
including children and adolescents. There has also been
recent population growth in the area, which may lead to a
younger population influx in the coming years. There are
also an elementary school, middle school, and high school
within a mile of the avenue. The City of Anacortes should
consider these factors when developing improvements
for south Commercial Avenue.
Proposed Changes
The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan includes
several recommendations that will improve mental health
and wellbeing among pedestrians. This includes the
reduction of speed limits to reduce noise pollution and
adding more crosswalks along south Commercial Avenue.
Although the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
mentions mental health in the health logic model, the City
of Anacortes should consider how the built environment
of south Commercial Avenue affects the mental health
and wellness of community members more thoroughly.
Incorporating more play spaces and safe spaces could
be one method for the City of Anacortes to improve
mental health. Legible signage could also be an important
consideration along the corridor, as signage can make
pedestrians feel safer and better informed.
Health Impacts
Considerations from the viewpoint of mental health
include factors such as walkability, noise, legibility, play
spaces, and safe spaces. These factors can affect aspects
of mental health, such as depression, mental fatigue and
stress, cognitive ability, and emotional security.
One of the most important mental health considerations
for pedestrians on south Commercial Avenue is walkability.
For older pedestrians, there is an association between
neighborhood walkability and depressive symptoms,
adjusting for individual factors 236. Researchers have also
found that people living in more walkable neighborhoods
have more opportunities for health-promoting social
interaction 226. A suggestion for making south Commercial
Avenue more walkable is creating more crosswalks,
especially for the long stretches between the signalized
intersections to improve pedestrian safety.
Noise level is also a factor to consider for the mental health
of pedestrians. Noise pollution can lead to noise-induced
hearing loss, which has negative effects on mental health
including interpersonal communication, increased stress,
and reduced productivity 237. The South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan specifically mentions that a reduction in
vehicle speed to 25 miles per hour would decrease traffic
noise and improve mental health. This is a feature of the
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COMMUNITY HEALTH | PEDESTRIAN MENTAL HEALTH
corridor design plan that is supported in both academic
literature and by the HIA team.
Legibility also contributes to the mental health of
pedestrians. Places with “district landmarks and districts,
clear edges and pathways, and appropriate signage
increase legibility, help people stay oriented, and promote
less stressful interactions with the built environment 226.”
Making south Commercial Avenue more legible by adding
signage with words and images may influence pedestrians
to be more inclined to walk around and explore the area
and feel safer and more informed. Opportunities for added
signage in the area include showing the direction to the
port and Tommy Thompson trail, as both are accessible
from south Commercial Avenue.
Image CC.16 Existing architectural interest and playful
wayfinding.
96
Safe gathering places are crucial to help pedestrians of
all ages positively identify with a space. By creating childfriendly streets and incorporating play spaces within short
walking distance of the main avenue, children and families
can achieve health and social benefits through informal
exercise and social interactions 238. Safe spaces often also
include the incorporation of benches and rest areas along
a pathway (e.g. roadway, trail), which may be important
because of the high number of older people living in the
City of Anacortes. These play and safe spaces could be
easily incorporated in the Pedestrian Activation Zones or
in nearby green spaces.
UNIVERSAL ACCESS
Existing Conditions
Proposed Changes
The City of Anacortes could potentially change several
features of south Commercial Avenue to create a more
accessible pedestrian environment for community
members with disabilities. This includes several light
poles that obstruct sidewalk usability, making it difficult
at times for civilians using wheelchairs to navigate. South
Commercial Avenue lacks pedestrian crosswalks in multiple
key locations, and in the areas that do have crosswalks,
many lack audible crosswalk sounds for community
members with sight-related disabilities. Several street
corners along south Commercial Avenue either do not
have curb ramps, or lack adequate curb ramps that allow
wheelchair-bound civilians to cross the street with greater
ease. As well as this, there are multiple driveways along
south Commercial Avenue that cut into the sidewalk and
create unsafe slopes and uneven walkways.
The new design of south Commercial Avenue could foster
an equitable environment where persons with physical
disabilities can be mobile and independent. This equitable
community design will allow persons with disabilities to
engage with community members and participate socially
. Ensuring usability for all people--including those with
physical disabilities--should be a priority.
223
The City of Anacortes should consider ensuring that the
new design of south Commercial Avenue will include at
least six feet of sidewalk space on either side of light poles,
which currently obstruct sidewalk space 239. The City of
Anacortes should consider replacing all street corners with
perpendicular curb ramps that make it easy to cross both
south Commercial Avenue and side streets that connect
with it. These sloped curb ramps assist both wheelchairbound citizens as well as visually impaired citizens, as these
sloped curb ramps provide a tactile message indicating
that a shift from sidewalk to street is about to occur 239.
These curb ramps should include raised, colorful tactile
surfaces such as truncated domes as these also serve as a
detectable warning for visually impaired citizens 239.
Similarly, the City of Anacortes should consider ensuring
that sidewalks, bike lanes, and streets are different
textures to provide these cues to disabled persons. The
City of Anacortes should consider removing cross-slopes
in driveways so that sudden, steep changes in slopes
are less likely to injure wheelchair-bound persons. The
City of Anacortes should consider requiring commercial
properties along south Commercial Avenue to update
their driveways to be ADA compliant 239. To make south
Commercial Avenue more safe and accessible for disabled
persons, the City of Anacortes should consider creating a
plan to install traffic WALK sign lights and audible crossing
signals 223,239 over the next 10 years.
Image CC.17 Light Pole Obstructing Sidewalk for WheelchairBound Community Members
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COMMUNITY HEALTH | UNIVERSAL ACCESS
Image CC.18 South Commercial Avenue Street Corner without
Curb Cut for Disabled Community Members
Health Impacts
People with disabilities--whether they be cognitive
impairments, mobility impairments, vision impairments,
and/or hearing impairments--all face physical and/or social
vulnerabilities when their surrounding environment is not
accommodating. For example, unaccommodating built
environments put people with disabilities at risk of social
isolation, physical inactivity, and injury 223. Older adults
with disabilities report a greater sense of independence
when their neighborhood has safe sidewalks and access
to transportation 240.
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Image CC.19 Driveway that is not ADA Compliant and
Dangerous to Wheelchair-Bound Community Members
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Existing Conditions
Currently The Anacortes Housing Authority provides
a variety of low income housing programs. Anacortes
Housing Authority owns and manages their own units,
which include the Bayview Apartments (24 Project-based
Section 8 units and 22 Tax Credit units), various public
housing sites (62 units), the Harbor House (49 units for
elderly/disabled) and The Wilson Hotel (25 Tax Credit
units). The City has a variety of zones with low, medium,
and high densities, as well as allowances for mixed uses.
The City of Anacortes also has a planned unit development
and cottage housing approval process. There is an undersupply of affordable rental units as well as a county-wide
under-supply of total housing units. By 2036 about 40.4
percent or 6,000 units of the future housing stock will
need to be available at affordable levels 131. That is above
and beyond addressing the current needs of the 17,000
households that are cost-burdened.
Proposed Changes
In the Anacortes Comprehensive Plan there is a goal to
provide a range of housing opportunities to address the
needs of all economic segments of the community. Future
housing developments may consider the benefits of mixed
land use on south Commercial Avenue. According to Guide
to Community Preventative Services rules and scientific
evidence, there is sufficient evidence that physical activity
can be increased via street-scale urban design and land
use policies to support physical activity in small geographic
areas, generally limited to a few blocks 241. Redesigned
streets, improved lighting, and enhanced aesthetics are
specific examples of helpful practices, as measured by an
increase in the percentage of people engaging in active
transport or other measures of physical activity.
As mentioned in the Comprehensive Plan:
• Policy H-4.2. Encourage the development of seniorfriendly housing opportunities, particularly in areas
near services and amenities.
• Policy H-4.4. Support ways for older adults and people
with disabilities to remain in the community as their
housing needs change by encouraging universal design
or retrofitting homes for lifetime use.
Health Impacts
The importance of affordable housing to improved health
outcomes is increasingly prominent in public health
policy and research 242. With the improvement of south
Commercial Avenue, it is important to consider improving
housing for those living and working in the area. Being
in close proximity to the port and water can improve and
contribute to improved mental health outcomes, as the
quality and characteristics of the settings we inhabit the place in which we live, work, and play - influence our
mental health 223.
Considering the health of the Anacortes community, it
is important to consider active living for older adults, as
active aging can benefit both individuals and the entire
community. There is a limited demand for large family
dwellings, as the median age population in Anacortes is
40 years of age and the average household size is two
131
. Promoting active aging depends on a community’s
ability to provide safe and walkable streets, a range of
transportation options, and land use patterns that permit
easy access to services and amenities 243. The City of
Anacortes should consider these factors as they develop
south Commercial Avenue to be accommodating for all
community members.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
COMMUNITY COHESION
• Increase connectivity and opportunities for social
bridging by linking bike lanes along south Commercial
Avenue with other bike lanes and trails (e.g., via R
Avenue and/or the Tommy Thompson Trail).
• Solicit
Anacortes resident input by engaging
diverse community members and offering multiple
neighborhood forums (on various days and at different
times).
• Incorporate more signage along south Commercial
Avenue to improve connectivity on the corridor and to
areas around it.
• Incorporate play spaces for children and safe spaces
for residents of all ages.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH DISABILITIES
• Include at least six feet of sidewalk space on either side
of light poles, which currently obstruct sidewalk space.
• Reduce traffic noise.
• Support for an increased number of crosswalks along
south Commercial Avenue.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH DISABILITIES
Support for the replacement of street corners with
perpendicular curb ramps that make it accessible to cross
both south Commercial Avenue and side streets that
connect with it.
• Add different textures to different parts of the ground,
including raised, colorful tactile surfaces for curb ramps
and different textures for sidewalks, bike lanes, and
streets.
• Improve driveways and ADA compliance by removing
cross-slopes on both city-owned properties and
commercial properties.
• Consider researching charging stations for wheelchairs
along the corridor or at key greenspaces.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PRESERVING NATIVE CULTURE
• Work with Samish and Swinomish Indian Nations to
implement at least one form of Native artwork on south
Commercial Avenue, and at least 2 other new art pieces
highlighting the diversity of the area by the time the
Corridor Plan reaches completion.
• Solicit feedback from the Samish and Swinomish
Indian Nations from the start of the Corridor Plan
implementation to garner input on activities or fixtures
that could be implemented to promote inclusion and
diversity.
100
• Encourage the development of senior-friendly housing
opportunities, particularly in areas near services and
amenities.
• Support ways for older adults and people with
disabilities to remain in the community as their housing
needs change by encouraging universal design or
retrofitting homes for lifetime use.
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CONCLUSION
Conducting an HIA as part of any design and development
process is an effort to pro-actively identify and address
potential public health impacts prior to project
implementation. The HIA’s overall goal is to examine
and understand which positive and negative health
consequences certain design decisions may have for a
community and its citizens. The findings of this HIA highlight
the current conditions in the area, including environmental
quality, physical health, economic conditions, and the
physical infrastructure. It seeks to thoroughly evaluate the
South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan based on the
potential positive and negative impacts resulting from its
implementation, while also providing recommendations
for supporting positive and mitigating negative impacts of
the plan.
The Health Impact Assessment conducted on the South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan has found the plan to
have significant potential to improve the health of the
corridor and its users by providing protected bike lanes,
curb bulbouts, wider sidewalks, increased vegetation, and
overall better conditions for all types of users. All sections
of this HIA reinforce this statement by highlighting how
the design and implementation of these strategies will
reduce traffic speeds, promote pedestrian and bicycle
activity, support economic development, and improve
environmental conditions for humans such as noise, air
quality, and water quality. Research shows that these
types of improvements are directly related to improved
public health through increased physical activity, resulting
102
in improved cardiovascular outcomes, improved mental
and social wellbeing, and a decrease in the prevalence of
obesity. This HIA also supports the construction of the
proposed Quick Build Street for its ability to generate public
input and support and to test usage assumptions prior to
a final design decision. Many of the HIA recommendations
support aspects of the existing design to emphasize the
important health impacts of each feature. While it may be
necessary to modify the plan in response to budgetary or
other constraints, consideration should be given to the
health impacts of each aspect of the plan before removing
them from the scope.
This HIA identified some potential negative public health
impacts that can potentially be mitigated via design
changes, while other potential impacts require additional
analysis and assessment prior to finalizing the design.
Research has shown that raised crosswalks, which are
proposed on most side streets, increase noise due to the
jarring of the vehicle and the increased noise associated
with the need to accelerate and decelerate, along with
increasing pollution and material damage. With the other
traffic calming strategies being proposed, the removal of
the raised crosswalks will reduce noise and should not
significantly impact the pedestrian experience.
As part of the noise and air pollution reduction strategy,
the city should consider the effect the plan may have on
freight traffic. If traffic speed is lowered and congestion
increases, freight traffic may shift from South Commercial
Avenue to R Avenue or Q Avenue. South Commercial
Avenue carries a large amount of freight as it is a T3
Freight Economic Corridor, and if large amounts of freight
shift to the surrounding residential streets the resulting
noise and air pollution may have negative health impacts
on the nearby residents. It is important to consider and
accommodate freight and its movement within the City of
Anacortes.
The proposed changes may also have impacts on the
surrounding community through potential increased
land values and resulting increases in rents. This may
cause the cost of living to exceed current residents’
earnings, potentially requiring them to move. The city’s
Comprehensive Plan states that there is a need to create
more living wage jobs, signifying an effort to resolve part
of the issue. It is a recommendation to the city to make
affordable housing and work-force housing, both on and
within walking distance of the corridor, a key element in
the development of the corridor.
Like affordable housing, many of the design
recommendations fall outside the scope of this project
but are directly related to its success. Foremost of these
is the handling of building setbacks. As a way to establish
an order to the corridor, it is recommended to have
building setbacks standardized and minimal in depth to
maintain an intimacy and a sense of closeness between
both sides of the street. A small five-foot setback with
a pedestrian-oriented frontage zone would increase
the sense of safety on the street and support increased
physical activity. An additional way of improving people’s
awareness of their surroundings is to establish a detailed
and accessible wayfinding system that helps people
navigate the different neighborhoods and natural areas
of Anacortes and the region, while highlighting retail and
recreational opportunities. As part of this, there is a need
for an increased level of community engagement that goes
beyond standard planning meetings to seek input from
groups who are not represented at current meetings. This
could be home visits, informal discussion groups or the
option to contact the city through a variety of different
channels. In many cases, the groups who are not being
represented in these efforts are also the most vulnerable.
The HIA’s overall recommendations are designed to
be used to inform the ongoing decision making for
both the City of Anacortes and Alta Planning + Design,
who are responsible for the execution of the plan. The
implementation of the recommendations will likely result
in a final design that improves health outcomes for the
city. It is hoped that the findings and recommendations
from this report will be used to inform decision making
and design choices made going forward in the South
Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan, to obtain the highest
possible level of health in the community and of the City
of Anacortes, for current and future residents as well as
visitors.
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KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the individual group findings and in discussion
with the class conducting the HIA as a whole, the key
recommendations are as follows:
Take action to lower the overall traffic speed
through the corridor.
Action: This HIA supports the inclusion of traffic calming
design features into the south Commercial Avenue
redesign. The existing design elements proposed within
the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan including:
narrowed lane widths, curb bulbouts, Rectangular Rapid
Flashing Beacons (RRFB), medians, and vertical vegetation,
will likely have a positive impact on speed reductions and
overall pedestrian/bicyclist safety.
Health Impacts: 1) Reduced rate and severity of injury
and mortality from crashes and vehicle-pedestrian/
cyclist collisions. 2) Improved mental and social wellbeing derived from a perceived sense of security along
the corridor. 3) Reduced morbidity and mortality from
diseases associated with insufficient physical activity,
such as: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. 4)
Reduction in traffic noise along south Commercial Avenue
may improve comfortable ambient noise levels along
the corridor, and reduce health impacts of overlapping,
excessive environmental noise, such as: hearing loss,
sleep disturbance, cardiovascular and psychological
effects. The consideration for noise reduction may be
low with the current surrounding street and residential
densities, however, as rezoning and infill occur, and natural
population growth continues, developing noise reducing
strategies early may have long lasting positive impacts.
Ongoing evaluation of stakeholder engagement at
each phase in the design process.
Action: 1) Identify all potentially impacted stakeholders
including: local residents within a 5-mile radius of the
corridor, Chamber of Commerce, businesses along the
south Commercial Avenue affected by redesign, and
vulnerable populations (elderly, disabled persons, and
minorities). At each phase in the design, actively seek
creative ways to engage stakeholders in the adaptation
104
and implementation of the plan. 2) Consider options for
obtaining input from long and short-term visitors as well.
3) Consider culturally appropriate public art that reflects
the existing culture and histories of Anacortes and the
region.
Health Impacts: By identifying the community’s health
priorities and the potential barriers to health behavior,
the City can work with Alta Planning + Design to ensure
that future design revisions continue to incorporate
concepts that will reduce barriers and encourage healthy,
active lifestyles. This engagement aligns the design with
community needs, encourages community buy-in and
long term project sustainability.
Utilize Quick-Build Street to aid in further planning
and visioning
Action: Endorse recommendations for proposed Quick
Build street along south Commercial Avenue. The
utilization of a Quick Build street will help Anacortes align
their vision with the community’s needs. People for Bikes
has created a nine-step toolkit for implementation of a
Quick Build street 11. Quick Build streets have no one
specific set of components and vary widely based on the
community needs. However, all quick-build streets have
four main components which include: 1) Led by a city
government or other public agency. 2) Installed roughly
within a year of the start of planning. 3) Planned with the
expectation that it may undergo change after installation.
4) Built using materials that allow such changes 11. If
implemented, we encourage starting from the older north
end of Commercial Avenue and if possible, implementing
along the entire corridor for a more complete overview
of how the corridor will change. If the entire corridor is
not feasible, consider encompassing both a Pedestrian
Activation Zone and regular stretch of roadway to evaluate
potential unintended consequences of specific design
features.
Indirect Health Impacts: Small tactical street changes are
more financially feasible, and require minimal resource
investment from the city of Anacortes. A quick-build street
CONCLUSION | KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
(see glossary) that has been “tested” by locals, tourists,
freight and non-vehicle users will have stronger support
within the community. The unique opportunity to ‘try it
before you buy it’ provides designers, users, and the city
to evaluate key design components for their effectiveness
and intended functional and health outcomes.
Furthermore, should any early design elements, traffic
revisions, or pedestrian and bike friendly design features
prove incompatible with the Anacortes culture, changes
can be made with minimal loss of investment. Additionally,
a pilot-proven corridor may find attracting grants and
construction funding easier. By reducing the financial risks
associated with an intensive main street redesign, the
city preserves funding to allocate to other public goods,
community services, and public health measures. This
indirect health effect is far reaching.
in the rate and severity of injury from bike-pedestrian
collision by way of clearly demarcated lanes for pedestrian
and bicycle pathways. 3) Installation of flexi-posts between
pedestrians and bicyclists could reduce the risk of bikepedestrian collision, and improve pedestrian perceived
sense of physical safety. This can prevent injuries and
lead to a lower stress environment, increased utilization
of the corridor for physical activity, and a reduction in
diseases associated with poor exercise including diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and obesity. 4) A reduction in
cyclist exposure to roadway and air pollutants via a
designated bike lane with protected buffers may reduce
morbidity and mortality associated with excessive air
pollution such as: asthma, cardiovascular disease, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, breast cancer, stroke, and
lung cancer.
Support and suggest complementary elements to
proposed bike infrastructure
Action: Support the existing proposed bicycle
infrastructure within the South Commercial Avenue
Corridor Plan. Capitalize on the expanded bike friendly
roadway (along the corridor) to promote a link between
the Tommy Thompson Trail to the corridor via 22nd Street.
Additionally, consideration of clearly identified markers
between the local bike store located on south Commercial
Avenue and the trail via the nearest cross street would aid
cyclists in wayfinding and improve connections between
the Tommy Thompson Trail and south Commercial
Avenue. 2) Consider a modular design allowing for the
future installation of an intermittent protective barrier
between bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks, such as
flexi-posts or Riley curbs. Barriers may not be necessary at
current usage levels but may become necessary as usage
increases in the future. See Figure C.19 for an example of
these specific design elements.
Develop effective destination wayfinding
Action: The use of signage for both pedestrians and
motorist will help improve wayfinding and promote specific
cultural, recreational, and retail destinations. Additionally,
Health Impacts: 1) Reduction in the rate and severity of
vehicle-bicycle collisions and fatalities, by way of protected
bike lanes, well designed mixing zones, and appropriate
cues for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. 2) Reduction
Image C.20 Example of Flexi-posts and Riley curbs
105
appropriately located wayfinding signage within the
proposed hospital overlay may reduce traffic confusion
associated with the hospital and unnecessary traffic
volumes along south Commercial Avenue, by directing
hospital users to the appropriate entrances off of 24th
and 26th Streets. Wayfinding, when designed correctly,
has the potential to improve traffic flow, thereby reducing
excessive vehicle emissions, confusion from tourists, and
congestion during heavy seasonal traffic.
Health Impacts: 1) This traffic reduction, which is
associated with improved air quality, could reduce
morbidity and mortality associated with air pollution
including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease. 2) Increased ease of destination finding provides
for greater chance of tourist and local spending to remain
within the community. Improved utilization of local tourist
attractions, retailers, and accommodations provides
revenue for the city and its business owners. Increased
revenue is indirectly related to equitable access to health
and public services for Anacortes residents most in need.
Sustainability through secure revenue streams provides
equitable access to services for the most vulnerable
residents. This improves health outcomes including
mental, cognitive, and physical well-being. 4) Individual
income is positively associated with reductions in personal
stress, mental health, cardiovascular health, diabetes,
and access to healthcare resources; wayfinding to local
establishments provides local business owners greater
income earning potential.
Proposed land use planning and corridor
connectivity
Action: Support the South Commercial Avenue Corridor
Plan for its design elements that reinforce the city’s vision
of connectivity, accessibility, all-users roadways, and mixed
use (outlined in the Anacortes 2016 Comprehensive
Plan). Highlight the importance of greenspace to overall
community connectivity, by way of parklets. Consider the
creation of a mobile parklet as a key greenspace feature
of the plan. In addition to providing various businesses
106
along the corridor access to the benefits of a green space,
a mobile parklet could aid the city in envisioning what a
corridor connected by parklets, and other green spaces
would look like. Recommend a minimum setback of no
more than 5 feet with restrictions on approved business
frontage use.
Health Impacts: Access to green spaces are associated
with reductions in depression, increased walking and
physical activity, and provides a community gathering
space; which can improve social cohesion, and reduce
morbidity and mortality from diseases associated with
poor exercise and social isolation.
Proposed hospital overlay district and corridor
interactions
Action: Support the plan’s consideration of emergency
response vehicles (ERVs) in roadway design. Evaluate how
medians when combined with a lack of on-street parking
in the Pedestrian Activation Zones may impact the ability
of non-emergency road users to yield. Two of the three
proposed Pedestrian Activation Zones incorporate green
medians; recommend against medians within the section
of south Commercial Avenue that interacts with the
proposed hospital overlay. Recommend further design
phases evaluate light source intensity, and lamp post
frequency along the section of the corridor associated
with the overlay. For example, hospitals produce around
the clock pedestrian and vehicle travel, which may have
lighting needs that differ elsewhere along the corridor.
Consider the impact of the Pedestrian Activation Zones on
off-street parking utilization; recommendation for further
traffic studies on driving behaviors of the region. Consider
the addition of a HAWK beacon running perpendicular
at the intersection of 25th Street and south Commercial
Avenue, to discourage unsafe pedestrian crossings at
a ‘convenience point’ in the overlay (“Pedestrian Hybrid
Beacons Explained”, 2013). Consider incorporation of
a public transit stop on both sides of south Commercial
Avenue at 25th Street, to reduce the impacts of a super
block on the safe crossings of special populations.
Health Impacts: 1) The ability of non-emergency vehicles
to yield is associated with reduced ERV-vehicle collisions,
and is also associated with improved emergency response
timing and delivery of critical patients. 2) Improved visibility
of the roadway and pedestrian-bike infrastructure will
account for the special population (e.g. elderly, disabled,
injured or sick hospital visitors, emergency response
vehicles, employees) roadway users within the proposed
overlay. Age related vision changes, hearing changes, as
well as pain and other illness-induced symptoms have
been associated with collisions and dramatic increases
in the severity and fatality of pedestrian-vehicle incidents.
Seniors and children are at greatest risk for severe
injury and death caused by a collision. 3) HAWK beacons
are associated with reductions in mid-block fatalities
and provide safer crossings on super blocks, in heavy
pedestrian areas such as a hospital zone 8.
Consider the implications of freight on the
community
Action: Recommend further investigation of the major
thoroughfare and alternate freight routes. In this
investigation, clearly define the corridors where freight is
moving and evaluate the impact a complete street design
may have on this main truck route. Consider the potential
long term consequences to future land use and urban
growth along Q and R Avenue, and whether there are
economic and health implications associated with freight
traffic diversion for residents and businesses located
along the proposed alternative routes.
Health Impacts: Largely unknown, but could include loss
of revenue to businesses along south Commercial Avenue
(either via reduced traffic or via increases in delivery costs/
times). Increase in morbidity and mortality for diseases
such as cancer, asthma, cardiovascular disease, lowbirth weight and lead poisoning for residents along the
proposed alternative routes. Impacts to local flora, fauna,
marine and wildlife are also largely unknown, but without
proper drainage and environmental protection features, it
could be significant.
Public Transit, Buses, and Shuttles
Action: Recommend further evaluation of public transit
conditions and availability along south Commercial
Avenue, especially Skagit Transit bus routes 409 and
410. As the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
progresses, consider explicitly stating locations and
identifying structural design elements like bus stops
and signage that will be incorporated into the street
infrastructure. Consider the need for transit scale-up in
the future as corridor density and overall city population
increases. Explore options for collaboration between the
city of Anacortes and the Washington State Department of
Transportation to evaluate shuttle usage and unnecessary
long-term parking on south Commercial Avenue from
ferry users.
Health Impacts: 1) Early planning and adoption of transitready street design has the potential to improve longterm roadway efficiency and improve access to services
and retail outlets along south Commercial Avenue. 2)
Over time, as the city population continues to grow,
strengthening local public transit may stabilize the growth
rates of single-occupancy vehicles traveling through the
main corridor. A reduction in single-occupancy vehicles
is associated with reductions in air pollution from vehicle
emissions and overall reductions in morbidity and
mortality associated with environmental (air, noise, water)
pollutants. 3) When considering bus stop locations along
south Commercial Avenue, having an understanding of
the unique needs of individuals of all ages and abilities
is important. For example, inappropriately spaced bus
stops could potentially deter seniors from utilizing the
bus for transportation thereby reducing the effectiveness
of the intended design, and its positive impact on health
outcomes.
American Disabilities Act Compliance
Action: The South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan
includes design elements that accommodate accessibility
for all users, such as widened sidewalks, reduced driveway
angles, and pedestrian curb cuts installed into sidewalks
107
using 90 degree angles. Recommend future design phases
consider wheelchair accessibility that extends beyond
widened sidewalks, and includes charging stations along
the corridor for individuals confined to custom, electric
wheel chairs. Similar to Anacortes in size and resident
ages, Pendleton, Oregon (population size 16,612 roughly,
40% > age 45), has begun installing electric wheelchair
charging stations in some of the city’s greenspaces (Sierra,
2016). This can be done as a free standing station as shown
in the Image C.20 and Image C.21, or could potentially
be incorporated into electric vehicle charging stations.
Recommend shifting the vehicle stop-line farther away
from designated crosswalks and providing pedestrians a
head start by using smart crosswalk signaling. Consider
sidewalk widths that accommodate passing wheelchairs
and/or electric wheelchairs. Incorporate access to
drinking fountains along south Commercial Avenue, to
complement active transportation, and all-age friendliness
of the corridor.
Health Impact: Federal law requires that all persons,
regardless of abilities, be provided equitable access to
public spaces. Evaluating the current ADA standards and
incorporating them into existing and future design phases
will allow the city of Anacortes an opportunity to improve
ADA compliance along the corridor. This provides safer
and greater access to all street users including those
with disabilities. This access may lead to more usage by
individuals with impaired mobility or vision, which may
improve an individual sense of connection, improved
mental and psychological well-being, and modified forms
of physical activity.
Other recommendations, outside of the plan’s
scope
In addition to the key recommendations outlined
above, several external factors were identified that will
influence the degree to which the plan will improve health
outcomes. Specific proposed changes to land use, zoning,
storm water management, and long-term visions outlined
in the Anacortes 2016 Comprehensive Plan may prove
to have a positive or negative synergism when combined
with various design elements proposed by Alta Planning +
Design. Some of the key external considerations for the City
of Anacortes, Island Hospital, and the Washington State
Department of Transportation include recommendations
for:
1. A required setback of no more than 5-feet with a
pedestrian-oriented frontage zone along south
Commercial Avenue. If the city chooses to allow
for larger setbacks, consider creating governing
ordinances that prohibit the use of setback areas for
parking or other non-pedestrian friendly activities.
2. In general, growth, infill, and densification of a town
center is associated with positive economic and
community health outcomes. This is especially true
for the individuals who move into newly urbanized
areas. This progress however, is often associated
Image C.21 Free standing electric wheelchair charging station in
the metro station, Istanbul, Turkey.
Source: http://www.dailysabah.com/nation/2014/12/11/batterycharging-units-for-wheelchairs-in-istanbul-metro-stations
108
with gentrification of entire neighborhoods and
communities. As the city of Anacortes expands,
consideration for the impacts that mixed-use, new
development, and overall neighborhood desirability
may have on vulnerable populations (e.g. minorities,
seniors, persons living below the Federal Poverty
Line) is warranted. If the risk of gentrification is
high, consider establishing governance policies that
encourage mixed-use developers to offer on-site
affordable housing with each new development.
This will maintain community diversity and limit the
negative health impacts of displacement and financial
stress.
6. Consider the long-term impacts of allowing the hospital
3. Long-term sustainability and buy-in will be required for
plan is updated to reflect any changes to the south
Commercial Avenue corridor.
the South Commercial Avenue Corridor Plan to reach
fruition. Stakeholder buy-in not only throughout the
design phases, but also once the corridor has been
completed is essential to the successes and potential
for positive health outcomes. A great road does not
make the town, it is instead a key feature inviting
locals and visitors to stop and stay awhile. To extract
the greatest value from the completed corridor, the
city should develop a communications and marketing
campaign to attract tourism and corridor users. If
this is already a strategy incorporated by the City,
the recommendation is to evaluate the process and
strategy to ensure that it aligns well with the visions
for the corridor.
overlay to expand to the street frontage on south
Commercial Avenue. If local businesses are impacted
by hospital expansion the city may want to consider
negotiating for an alternate overlay, and establishing
developer agreements or incentives such as up-zoning
that make special exceptions and considerations for
existing businesses in the proposed overlay. Sharing
resources about the health benefits of connectivity,
accessibility, and green spaces on patient outcomes
may strengthen the hospital’s support of the corridor
design plan.
7. Ensure the city of Anacortes’ emergency evacuation
4. Consider working with local vacant land owners,
excessive surface parking lots, and the hospital to
coordinate potential privately owned spaces that
could be further activated and vegetated to provide
green space, connectivity and positive health
benefits. For example, consider adding a greenway
connecting the hospital to the main corridor, by way
of 25th Street. Reductions in unnecessary parking
or temporary conversions of unused land into semipermanent green spaces can provide the city with
additional destinations along the corridor that provide
opportunities for physical activity and social mixing.
5. Consider adding public restroom facilities along south
Commercial Avenue.
109
REPORTING, MONITORING,
& EVALUATION
Reporting
Monitoring & Evaluation
This HIA report is the final reporting product of the HIA
process and was made available to stakeholders in early
June 2016. It aims to inform decision makers in the design
process, and enables a more informed discussion of the
health impacts of the plan. Among other reporting products,
was a presentation to the stakeholders in early June 2016,
made by all the authors of this report. It is recommended
that the HIA will be publicly accessible to citizens and other
interested parties, to ensure a transparent and inclusive
process. Furthermore, it is recommended that public
comments be accepted online and by mail or in person
to allow for feedback and questions pertaining to the HIA
report.
The monitoring of an HIA seeks to track and document
decisions and initiatives that are made towards the
facilitation of health. This section lists potential monitoring
topics, drawn from the priority recommendations of this
HIA, with the goal of documenting the impacts of key
recommendations on public health in Anacortes. The
process of monitoring collects evidence of changes in the
aforementioned health determinants, which enables the
responsible parties to evaluate consequences and impacts
of decisions made along the corridor. The following is a list
of suggested monitoring strategies for the city to assess
the short and long term health outcomes of different
interventions:
What? (Indicator)
110
Who? (Responsible
Party)
When? (Timing)
How? (Data and Resources)
Levels of pollutant
exposures in the corridor,
including PM2.5
City of Anacortes and
WSDOT
Annually
Measure PM levels in the field
using existing equipment.
Increasing enforcement of
truck route restrictions
WSDOT
Ongoing
Field Surveys
Number of living wage
jobs held by residents in
Anacortes
City of Anacortes
Annually
Evaluate Census and Commerce
Data.
Pedestrian infrastructure
assessment of the corridor,
Alta Planning+Design
Prior to completion of
plan
Conduct field surveys along the
corridor and collect pedestrian
counts
Bicycle infrastructure
assessment of the corridor,
including bike paths and
crossings
Alta Planning+Design
plan
Conduct field surveys along
the corridor and collect bicycle
counts
Community assessment, as
described in the Community
Chapter
Alta Planning+Design and
City of Anacortes
plan
See Community Chapter
Displacement of heavy
traffic to surrounding
streets, following the
construction and
completion of the corridor
City of Anacortes
Ongoing
Field Surveys and Counts
Changes in noise level and
noise patterns, stemming
from lower speeds and
altered road design
WSDOT
plan
Establish a baseline noise level
through modeling and field
visits, and continue monitoring
of measured noise
CONCLUSION | REPORTING, MONITORING, & EVALUATION
In addition to the monitoring of the health indicators
and impacts, it is suggested that an evaluation of the
effectiveness of incorporating an HIA in the process be
made. This might inform similar communities and cities,
the City of Anacortes and Alta Planning + Design of the
benefits or the lack thereof of including such assessment
in the process and its impact on the achievement of a
successful outcome. The evaluation could include, but
is not limited to how the process and decisions were
informed by the HIA, any new capacity built or relations
between stakeholders facilitated and, any future use of
HIAs in similar projects and plans, or in other areas of
business.
Study Limitations
This HIA included no primary data collection, though some
secondary data was used to inform the report. It had a
limited number of methods used, as the less than 10-week
time-limit excluded possibilities for conducting surveys
and interviews. Readily available data, such as literature
and health datasets were utilized.
The need for data collection provides a great opportunity
for partnering with local schools or community groups
to have this done by the people and for the people. In
addition, there are many inexpensive do-it-yourself ways
of building measuring tools using resources such as
public lab (https://publiclab.org/), which stems out of the
effort known as “citizen science”. Engaging the public
and keeping them involved throughout the process can
be significantly beneficial to everyone involved, and the
relationship built can continue to grow and flourish long
after the project is completed. As a first step in initiating
a discussion around the project, it is recommended to
publish and potentially present this document to the
public. This will build upon the other public efforts in
establishing complete transparency early in the process
potentially resulting in stronger community inclusion and
support.
As the plan evolves, so will the associated health impacts.
New iterations of the plan should be continuously
evaluated to ensure that the final version will produce the
desired health outcomes.
Next Steps
Having the HIA completed during this phase of the design
process allows the city of Anacortes to hear an outside
perspective on the design and how it may impact the
community. This HIA outlines many ideas, ranging from
broad to very specific, that have the potential to impact
the final design of the South Commercial Avenue Corridor.
With this resource the city has a document that defines
many of the potential health benefits and risks that may
result from the design, and this document can be used
to begin collecting and monitoring data associated with
public health indicators and environmental quality.
Having the initial baseline data will help in quantitatively or
qualitatively evaluating the impacts of the design.
111
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